SUMMARY
- JJ Redick becomes a stronger candidate to coach the Los Angeles Lakers.
- The Lakers are expected to make a decision and announce it after the NBA Finals.
Rumors surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers organization have claimed that JJ Redick is a favorite to become the team’s next head coach. The 39-year-old sports media personality and former NBA star last played in the league in 2021 for the Dallas Mavericks. Since then, he’s become a standout media figure while appearing on multiple podcasts including Mind the Game featuring LeBron James.
REPORT: JJ Redick is already calling around the league looking for assistants for his staff. Expect an announcement by the Lakers AFTER the nba finals which Redick is announcing on ABC, via @TheSteinLine pic.twitter.com/IKAUoypxmT
— 𝐉𝐚𝐤𝐞 (@SixthManJake) May 29, 2024
Initially, the entire world seemed convinced that James was involved in the Lakers’ quest for a new head coach. The 4x NBA Champion revealed that he had no part in the hiring process. Redick has been viewed as one of the smarter minds in the game, and this is a side of him that the world witnessed only after he began serving as an analyst on ESPN.
Sam Cassell and James Borrego could possibly work under JJ Redick
While JJ Redick is the obvious favorite to land the gig, Sam Cassell and James Borrego are the only candidates that the Lakers have taken into consideration as well. However, sources claim that Redick has already begun piecing together a group of assistants of himself and it may include Cassell and Borrego.
“I will be very surprised if their next Head Coach is anybody but JJ Redick. Everything that I’m hearing is JJ Redick. From what I know he’s doing some background, calling some assistant coaching candidates who might be able to join his staff.”
–@ChrisBHaynes on #Lakers next HC pic.twitter.com/XipwSlN6wo
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) May 29, 2024
Cassell currently serves as the Boston Celtics’ assistant coach. He has done marvelous things working under Joe Mazzulla as the Celtics recently became the first team to enter the NBA Finals this season. Borrego is also a well-seasoned coach who works as an assistant for the New Orleans Pelicans organization. As a coach, he is a 2x NBA Champion, winning both titles with the San Antonio Spurs in 2005 and 2007.
Carmelo Anthony believes JJ Redick is a great fit for the Lakers
Carmelo Anthony has been slowly creeping into the sports media scene and he recently touched on the topic of JJ Redick potentially becoming the Lakers’ next head coach. Anthony, who is a former Lakers player claims that Redick will make a great head coach. “In this particular situation, JJ has been away from the game. So he’s able to gather this information [and] study the game and watch the game and talk to coaches and talk to GMs and go sit in in these training camps and understand the formulas of everybody,” he said according to the Lakers Files on X.
🟣 Carmelo Anthony on JJ Redick potentially coaching the Los Angeles Lakers:
“In this particular situation, JJ has been away from the game. So he’s able to gather this information a study the game and watch the game and talk to coaches and talk to GMs and go sit in in these… pic.twitter.com/he6Gl4TkDl
— The Laker Files (@LakerFiles) May 29, 2024
Anthony also compared the situation to when Steve Kerr joined the Golden State Warriors in 2014. Kerr walked into the Warriors organization without any prior experience in coaching. But somehow, he made them the biggest threats in the league and went on to win three titles within his first five seasons. Looking at what knowledge Redick has about the game, there is very little room for error besides the part where he’d have to learn about each individual on the Lakers’ roster.