Mavericks pulled back into Lakers drama after denying JJ Redick’s major accusation

After Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick blamed the Dallas Mavericks’ medical staff for missing an injury on star Austin Reaves, the team has denied his claims, saying, “Our medical team followed standard imaging protocols based on the information provided at the time. There was no error in the scan performed.”

This is a strange development in what was already a strange story. Reaves was ruled out this week for the remainder of the regular season after suffering an oblique strain on the road against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Lakers hit Dallas as the next stop on their road trip, where Reaves was evaluated. When Redick was asked about the injury, he claimed there was an error in the MRI procedure performed by the Mavs.

Redick said, “The second [MRI] was today. Again, I don’t know where the chain of command lies with Dallas imaging, but they scanned the wrong area. Not on our end. We made it explicit what was supposed to be scanned, but they scanned the wrong area.”

JJ Redick's accusations have an ominous backstory

These claims of malpractice come just a season removed from legitimate claims of malpractice after the Mavericks misdiagnosed a stress fracture in Dereck Lively II’s foot as an ankle sprain. Ultimately, a member of the Dallas medical staff was let go after last season, and they didn't even have the required certifications for the job. 

These allegations were incredibly embarrassing for the franchise and are likely the reason Redick felt comfortable airing such a concern, even if Dallas denies any wrongdoing.

The Lakers have fallen apart from a health perspective over the past month, as Luka Doncic suffered a tragically timed hamstring injury just a week before the playoffs began. With Reaves and Doncic out for the near future, Los Angeles will be in trouble in their projected playoff matchup against the Houston Rockets.

While it is sad to see the team’s best two players fall to injury a week before the playoffs, Redick’s jab at the Dallas medical staff was uncalled for (assuming the organization is to be trusted over the coach).

The Mavericks were not in charge of Reaves’s diagnosis and recovery plan; any work the team did would be at the Lakers' direction. If the Mavericks scanned the wrong part of the body, it is likely due to a miscommunication in the MRI instructions; it's unfair to blame the current training staff for the sin.

Redick will surely be asked about these claims and, if the Mavericks organization’s statement is questioned, a light investigation is likely to follow. Hopefully, Dallas has righted its medical staff issues after such an embarrassing end to the 2024-25 season. In a worst-case scenario, Redick’s claims of malpractice show the lingering effects of the Nico Harrison era, who fired the beloved longtime trainer Casey Smith.