With the Los Angeles Lakers focusing on JJ Redick as the favorite to become the next head coach, one of the biggest questions remaining in the franchise's offseason should be answered relatively soon.
For weeks, Redick, 39, has generated the most buzz for the Lakers' vacant head coaching job in league circles. Although a final decision has not been made and the Lakers still have steps in their coaching search, everything indicates that Redick is the clear favorite. Ace The Athletic As previously reported, the Lakers are enamored of Redick's potential and view him as a coaching prospect similar to Pat Riley, according to league sources.
Redick checks many of the boxes on the Lakers' extensive checklist for their next coach.
The franchise sees Redick as the candidate who can maximize the short-term championship window with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but also drive the long-term culture and sustainability of the Lakers' next era. He projects himself as a coach who will have the seriousness to command the locker room and also hold the players accountable better than his two predecessors, Frank Vogel and Darvin Ham.
There's no question about Redick's work ethic, particularly compared to Ham's. One of Ham's common internal complaints was his lack of preparation. By contrast, Redick is obsessively structured and organized, from dogmatically trying 342 shots at game speed every day during the offseason as a player to quickly become one of the NBA's top analysts and podcasters after retiring in 2021.
Redick's intelligence, his manic competitiveness as a 15-year NBA veteran, his attention to detail and his overall attitude (he has said he “loves” players who have “a little shit for them”) are all attractive traits for the Lakers. His media savvy also doesn't hurt at a high-profile gig where the wrong answer at a press conference will go viral and lead social media and sports talk shows for days.
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If the Lakers sign Redick, it would be a gamble that would define his potential for a decade. It would also be a departure from recent decisions by the franchise's coaches. The lineage is filled with hires with notable ties to the franchise, from former players like Byron Scott and Luke Walton, to former assistants like Ham.
Meanwhile, the exceptions (Mike Brown, Mike D'Antoni and Vogel) were experienced and accomplished coaches. All three were well-regarded throughout the league and were hired elsewhere after being released by the Lakers. They had also been a head coach for at least five seasons and reached at least one conference final. D'Antoni was hired in part because of his relationship with Steve Nash, whom the Lakers acquired before the 2012-13 season.
Redick would enter the ranks of NBA coaches green (he has not coached above the youth level) and without any ties to the Lakers franchise as a former player or coach. This brings us to the elephant in the room: It's impossible to discern the extent to which his professional relationship with James is influencing the Lakers' calculus. Rich Paul, CEO of Klutch Sports and James' agent, said The Athletic that James is not involved in the coaching search and has not endorsed Redick as his preferred candidate.
Rich Paul: “LeBron James and JJ Redick do a podcast together, that doesn't mean I want Redick as head coach.”
– Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) May 20, 2024
At the same time, the chemistry between the two, who are co-hosts tea Be careful with the game podcast, has been palpable, especially when analyzing basketball strategy and philosophy. It's hard to believe that the Lakers, if they decided on Redick, wouldn't at least draft their franchise player. At the very least, the Lakers have to project the type of attributes that James, who has a $51.4 million player option for next season, would want in a new signing. His input remains invaluable, especially with his ability to test free agency this summer.
Redick's main competition throughout the process, at least for the last few weeks, has been James Borrego. The New Orleans Pelicans associate coach and former Charlotte Hornets manager met with Lakers stakeholders last week at the team's practice facility and was impressive during their meetings, league and team sources said. Davis and Borrego briefly met in New Orleans before Davis' rookie season, and the two have maintained a strong relationship. Both the Lakers and Paul acknowledge that the Lakers should make this hire with Davis in mind more than James, which is part of the reason Borrego has been so highly regarded.
That also speaks to a larger point: This isn't exactly a highly sought-after group of coaches. The most successful option was Mike Budenholzer, but he shared too many similarities with Ham. He also agreed to terms with his hometown Phoenix Suns. The Lakers' dream of hiring James' former coach, Tyronn Lue, never materialized; He is now the coach of the Los Angeles Clippers for the foreseeable future after signing a contract extension.
Borrego and Golden State Warriors assistant coach Kenny Atkinson are well-regarded assistants, but they have sub-.500 records as head coaches and reportedly lost their respective locker rooms in their final seasons. There would be some risk in elevating Boston Celtics assistant Sam Cassell, Denver Nuggets assistant David Adelman, Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori or Miami Heat assistant Chris Quinn to a position that have never occupied, especially in a locker room that has been a challenge to command the last few seasons.
Which isn't to say hiring Redick is foolproof. His flaws are obvious; he's never been a coach before. Even Steve Kerr, a popular Redick analog, at least had general manager experience in addition to his resume as a broadcaster and player before taking the Warriors job in the summer of 2014. Redick is a mystery box, but the Lakers seem intrigued for her. and ready to open.
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Timeline of Lakers coaches over the past 12 seasons
There are still several unanswered questions about the Lakers and Redick. The Lakers have not yet made an official decision and do not appear to be in a rush to do so. Redick is serving as color commentator for ABC for the NBA Finals, which begin Thursday in Boston. There is a feeling around the league that Redick, if he is hired, would have to join the Lakers after the Finals conclude. A quick move before the NBA Draft isn't ideal, but it seems like the most likely outcome if Redick is indeed the option.
Plus, there's the matter of Redick's coaching staff. Assistant coaching candidates will include Borrego, Cassell, former Laker Rajon Rondo, former Laker and current Dallas Mavericks assistant Jared Dudley and former head coach and assistant Scott Brooks, according to league sources. If the Lakers hire Redick, they would prefer to have Borrego and Cassell on Redick's staff as top assistants, according to those sources. Los Angeles Times was the first to report the names of the candidates for assistant coach.
Hiring Redick comes with significant risk given his inexperience. On paper, he has a lot of the bona fides of a solid coaching prospect. But it's hard to predict how much of that will translate from Day 1 into a win-now atmosphere for the league's premier franchise and basketball's most scrutinized coaching position.
Winning early in a coaching tenure doesn't necessarily translate to job security in Los Angeles. Vogel won a championship in his first season and was fired after his third. Ham led the Lakers to the Western Conference finals as first-year head coach and was fired after his second season. Even if Redick ruins his coaching debut, the pressure and scrutiny persists year after year. There is rarely time to exhale as the Lakers' head coach.
Redick is aware of the challenges that come with both the Lakers position and being a first-time NBA head coach, but he is willing to accept them and is preparing accordingly, according to league sources. That proactive approach, combined with his potential and personality, is why he is the Lakers' favorite.
(Top photo: Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
