Redick shares hope that LeBron James can eventually play both legs of back-to-backs as the season goes on.
The Los Angeles Lakers have been one of the better teams in the Western Conference this season, sitting at 22-12 despite dealing with injuries to their stars early on.
LeBron James missed the first 14 games of the year due to sciatica in his right side, but since returning on November 18, the 41-year-old has looked like his usual dominant self and has helped keep the Lakers in the playoff picture.
Los Angeles faced the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night, a tough matchup against a Spurs team that owns the second-best record in the West at 26-11.
However, James was ruled out for the contest as it was the second game of a back-to-back following Tuesday's win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
JJ Redick Holds Out Hope for LeBron Playing Back-to-Backs
Before Wednesday's game against San Antonio, Redick addressed the media about James' availability moving forward and did not shut the door on the possibility of him playing in both legs of back-to-backs at some point this season.
"We're hoping he gets to the point where he can play in back-to-backs," Redick said.
Redick noted that James' left foot was bothering him after playing 33 minutes in the win over New Orleans the night before, which factored into the decision to hold him out.
The Lakers have been cautious with James all season, and the coaching staff has made it clear they want to build him up gradually rather than push him too hard too soon.
James himself addressed his back-to-back status after Tuesday's game with a bit of humor, saying that every back-to-back for the rest of the season is "to be determined" because he's 41 years old and has played the most minutes in NBA history.
LeBron Has Been Excellent Since His Return
Even with the missed time, James has been playing at a high level when he's on the court.
He is averaging 21.2 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.2 rebounds on the season while shooting 51.1% from the field in 17 games.
Over his last 12 appearances, those numbers jump to 25.6 points, 6.3 assists, and 5.9 rebounds per game, which shows that he has found his groove as the season has gone on.
Against the Pelicans on Tuesday, James was dominant from start to finish and scored 30 points on 10-of-19 shooting to go along with eight rebounds and eight assists.
It was his second 30-point game in his last three outings and his third of the season overall.
Redick praised James after the game and compared him to Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux in the final years of his career, saying that even when James doesn't have his best stuff, he still has enough to win.
The Lakers will need James healthy and fresh for the playoffs, so being careful with him during the regular season makes sense.
With Luka Doncic leading the charge and Austin Reaves playing at an All-Star level, Los Angeles has shown they can win games even when James sits out.
But when James is on the floor and playing like he did against New Orleans, the Lakers look like a team that can compete with anyone in the Western Conference.
Los Angeles will look to get back on track on Friday when they host the Milwaukee Bucks at Crypto.com Arena, and James is expected to return to the lineup for that matchup.