A 123-87 blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder was the least of JJ Redick’s problems Tuesday night. A heated sideline confrontation with Jarred Vanderbilt and blunt postgame comments about Deandre Ayton have now sparked serious questions about his leadership, prompting a former NBA champion to warn that Redick is “gonna get fired.”

Now, following the heated moments during and after, ex-NBA champion Jeff Teague revealed a scathing reality. On the Club 520 podcast, he said, “He [JJ Redick] won’t be the coach right here. He’s gonna get fired; he don’t deserve to. It’s not his father’s way. His best players got hurt.” He added. “Nobody, like, people are gonna stop liking him. You can’t say you’re the coach, you gotta take the blame. I mean, we just might be running some bad plays. Your players gotta know you still f— with them.”

Teague’s criticism zeroes in on what many around the league have started to notice—Redick’s perceived lack of accountability. Instead of owning losses, the focus often shifts to injuries or execution. For a locker room already dealing with absences, that approach can wear thin quickly, especially when players expect their coach to take responsibility and protect trust internally.

The result itself wasn’t surprising. The Los Angeles Lakers were without Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, LeBron James, and Marcus Smart, leaving them severely undermanned. Oklahoma City controlled the game from the opening quarter—but the real story unfolded in the second.

Ever since Redick replaced Darvin Ham, there have been quiet questions about Vanderbilt’s role. Those tensions appeared to surface in the second quarter when Redick called a timeout and immediately moved to sub him out.

Vanderbilt didn’t take it well. He visibly erupted on the sideline, exchanging words with Redick before Austin Reaves stepped in to calm things down. Redick walked away from the situation, later downplaying it postgame while emphasizing team standards and effort.

JJ said, “There’s a confluence of things. Nothing personal with him. But, normal stuff for my end. Being undermanned, we’ve got to scrap and claw. We’ve got to all be on the same page. We’ve got to be great teammates, we’ve got to all play hard.”

Redick also didn’t hold back when addressing Ayton’s performance. With the Lakers missing key scorers, the 27-year-old center had a clear opportunity to step up but failed to make an impact.

JJ Redick’s strong message to Deandre Ayton

Ayton once saw himself as a star, but eventually faced the mirror and accepted the Clint Capela–style role the Los Angeles Lakers wanted from him. Now, JJ Redick and the team are ready to feed their starting center more scoring chances. Yet, Ayton has struggled to convert those opportunities.

Therefore, after Tuesday’s game, Coach Redick said, “He’s had trouble catching the ball. So, we’ve ran a bunch of plays for him, he’s just had trouble catching the ball. I don’t know if that’s the passing or if it’s him trying to get position, he just, he hasn’t been able to catch the ball.”

Since Doncic’s injury, Ayton has had two clear chances to step up—against the Dallas Mavericks and the Thunder—but hasn’t delivered. He scored 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting against Dallas, yet backup Jaxson Hayes provided more impact.

That pattern has repeated through 2025-26. Things worsened against the Thunder: in 23 minutes, Ayton attempted just four shots, made one, and finished with only three points, leaving the Lakers’ center struggling to meet expectations.

This is where the real pressure begins. Teague’s warning echoes what happened during Darvin Ham’s tenure in Los Angeles, where similar tensions and questions around accountability eventually led to his exit. If Redick can’t stabilize the locker room while the team is shorthanded, the noise will only grow louder. Whether he regains control or proves Teague right may ultimately define how long he lasts on the Lakers’ bench.