Shaquille O’Neal believes Lakers will get off to a ‘rough start’ this season

Los Angeles Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal anticipates that the Lakers will go through a rough patch to start the 2024-25 season.

“I think, personally, they gonna have a rough start,” O’Neal said. “And what I mean by that — you know as a coach — it’s all about respect. And if I’m a guy that’s played seven, eight years and I’m gettin’ a young coach who I think I was a better player than, it’s gon’ be a level of disrespect there. LeBron [James] and A.D. (Anthony Davis) will do a great job of keepin’ everybody in order, but I always said that if you really respect your coach, you really go out there and play hard.”

O’Neal experienced firsthand what it’s like to win at a high level as a member of the Lakers organization.

He helped the Lakers win three titles in a row in the 1999-00 season, 2000-01 season and 2001-02 campaign. An NBA team hasn’t won three consecutive championships since the Lakers did with O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.

The Lakers will have a new face leading the team from the sidelines this season. Los Angeles hired J.J. Redick to be its head coach a few months ago, replacing Darvin Ham.

Redick’s modus operandi has allegedly already rubbed off on the Lakers. Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times reported late last month that Los Angeles’ offseason workouts have featured more live basketball compared to years past.

“Those workouts are the first in the formalized relationship between J.J. Redick, his staff and the players, and the first impression might offer some hints as to how the new coach will operate,” Woike wrote.

“Workouts have featured more live basketball — one on one and three on three — than past summers when the focus was more on individual, noncompetitive work.

“This could be one step of the player development changes that Redick vowed to make when he took the job this summer, a change the organization has tied to the changing salary cap rules. But, honestly, the changes probably were overdue.”

The 40-year-old had zero experience in the NBA’s coaching ranks prior to taking the job with the Lakers. He played 15 seasons in the league, though. Ironically, the only time he made the NBA Finals during his playing career — in 2009 when he was a member of the Orlando Magic — he lost to the Lakers.

While Redick’s lack of experience is a reasonable concern heading into the 2024-25 season, the Lakers’ front office ostensibly hasn’t set him up for all that much success, either.

Though the squad did re-sign James as well as Max Christie, the front office has yet to make a significant addition this offseason after the Lakers were eliminated in the opening round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs.

The Lakers drafted Dalton Knecht with the No. 17 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft as well. While he seems to have a productive NBA career ahead of him, it’s unclear if he will be able to make a real impact as a rookie.

Here’s to hoping that despite the quiet offseason that the Lakers have had, Redick will still enjoy a successful season in his first season as the head coach of Los Angeles.