The pairing of LeBron James and JJ Redick took years to develop

The Los Angeles Lakers brought the Mind the Game podcast into an NBA locker room. It's one of the most fascinating stories to have unfolded this offseason, as Los Angeles co-hosted head coach and star player by signing JJ Redick to lead LeBron James and the Lakers.

A recent report has shown how deep the roots of the decision go – and how far they extend beyond her podcast.

James and Redick took the sports media world by storm with “Mind the Game,” offering an educational approach in a world where the sensational often reigns supreme. It was something of a precursor to what Lakers fans hope to see in Los Angeles: a winning culture that comes from in-depth analysis and an informative coaching approach.

According to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, James and Redick almost teamed up a few years ago in a very different capacity: as teammates.

“Early in James' tenure in Los Angeles, the Lakers inquired about a trade with New Orleans for Redick, but nothing came of it, sources told ESPN.”

Redick played for the Pelicans between 2019-20 and 2020-21, meaning the move almost happened sometime during or right after the Lakers' championship season.

Even if you focus solely on his playing career, Redick is one of the most fascinating case studies in NBA history. He embodies the belief that some players were drafted just a few seasons too early, as he followed a legendary college career and blossomed late in his professional career.

It wasn't until his fifth NBA season that Redick averaged at least 10.0 points per game, and in his 13th season he posted his career-best scoring average of 18.1 – at age 34 on a team with 51 Win.

Redick finished the 2019-20 season, when the Lakers were potentially interested in him, averaging 15.3 points per game. He made 3.0 three-point field goals per game and converted an incredible 45.3 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc.

Redick retired after the 2020-21 season, but not before showing how well his game translated to the modern era – if not influencing its innovation with his success at Duke.

The fact that Los Angeles was interested in him shows how strong James' desire is to work with Redick on a daily basis. For three years there has been minimal tracking of this pairing, although it manifests itself in perhaps unexpected ways.

While the dynamic has changed from teammates to podcast co-hosts to head coach to superstar, the theme of mutual respect has remained consistent.

One of the fundamental aspects of this relationship is probably the fact that Redick has a unique perspective on what James has been through as the face of the NBA. During his career with the Duke Blue Devils, Redick was the face of college basketball – facing criticism from every opposing fan base in the country.

With an undeniably high basketball IQ and a well-deserved look at the pitfalls of superstardom, Redick will finally team up with James in a season that is sure to be memorable.