The Los Angeles Lakers are in the market for a new head coach. One of the most popular names out there is former sharpshooter JJ Redick. After his playing career, he has garnered a lot of respect in the broadcasting world. The Lakers have reportedly been eyeing Redick for their position and reportedly believe he could be the next Pat Riley.
Los Angeles Lakers Loves JJ Redick
Jovan Buha and Shams Charania put out a long piece in The Athletic about the Los Angeles Lakers coaching search. While there are other candidates besides JJ Redick, it seems he is the favorite. The report states the team views Redick as a “Pat Riley-like coaching prospect who could both help the franchise in the short term and lead it for years.” That is some high praise. Riley has been one of the best in the league, no matter what job he takes on. It fits with what the team reportedly wants.
“The Lakers are taking a methodical approach with their process and are seeking a coach who will command the locker room and hold players accountable, as well as tirelessly game plan and provide a level of structure and organization, according to multiple league and team sources.”
The Los Angeles Lakers are definitely making some projections. Redick has no coaching experience and has been in the media since he retired from the league in 2021. While experience doesn’t always equal success, it does give some idea of how a person will do in a head coaching role. This isn’t just any head coaching role. It’s the Lakers that comes with even more pressure.
The LeBron Piece
One of the reasons people have connected the Los Angeles Lakers and JJ Redick is the LeBron James factor. The two host the Mind the Game podcast together, so they already have a good working relationship. However, James stated that he has had “no conversations” with the Lakers about hiring the former Duke star. Still, the Lakers are likely viewing an agreement to do a podcast as a vote of confidence in the person.
The Los Angeles Lakers have many questions to answer this offseason. The Western Conference is loaded, and their championship window with LeBron James is closing. They have limited draft capital to work with but still have some possible moves. Will we see JJ Redick coaching the Lakers next season?
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Matt Brown has been following sports since he was a kid. It does not matter what sport he is talking about; he tends to be an expert in it. When he is not glued to following sports, he is a banker in Wisconsin and hosts two podcasts, Beers and Ears & Discontinued on Display.
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