Most recently, Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch appeared on Zach Lowe’s live podcast in Minneapolis. There were plenty of great moments during Finch’s performance, but perhaps the best moment came early, shortly after Finch took the stage. Finch joked that three-quarters of the audience will go home and do a podcast, adding that that qualifies you to coach the Lakers.
Wolves coach Chris Finch on podcasting:
“I mean, it will qualify you to coach the Lakers.”pic.twitter.com/xdbvMbMkUU
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) November 14, 2025
Of course, this is a joke about JJ Redick, who earned the Lakers head coaching job despite no formal coaching experience aside from podcasting and a successful 15-year NBA career. As always, social media got angry and escalated this joke into more than it was. Guess what? Finch and Redick are friends, and sometimes they take friendly “jabs” at each other. What a revolutionary concept.
I’m sure when JJ saw the clip he chuckled. For my money, it was a hilarious joke. Sometimes it’s not that deep.
Finch’s comments are just a joke
Finch was Redick’s assistant coach with the New Orleans Pelicans. The two developed a real bond and it is clear that they have a lot of respect for each other. Finch has stated that he learned a lot from JJ’s coaching. Both coaches have a similar, brutally honest style.
But like most friends, the two like to joke with each other. Previously, Redick joked that Finch was trying to eliminate his mid-range shot, despite Redick being an elite mid-range shooter. Finch “fired back” by saying that JJ’s most efficient points per shot of his career came that season, and that he should have dedicated himself to becoming a 3-point shooter sooner.
Finch’s final comment is simply about the brand for their relationship. If you think this is a serious problem, either you didn’t know about their history (which is understandable) or you need to grow up.
I get it, the Wolves and Lakers are easy to play against each other after facing each other in the first round of the playoffs last season. Anyway, a joke is always a joke; there doesn’t have to be an underlying motivation here.
Even if you’re a die-hard Lakers fan, you should be able to recognize that JJ’s path to coaching is unconventional, especially considering that one of his podcasts was with LeBron James himself. There’s no harm in making a joke about this, and I’m sure JJ found this funny; so should Lakers fans.
The Wolves (7-4) and Lakers (8-4) are neck and neck in the standings. They may meet again in the play-offs. But if there is still a moment between Finch and Redick, remember that they are friends.
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