NEWSLETTER
The Los Angeles Lakers’ next head coach is exactly who everyone expected.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, former NBA player and current sports media star JJ Redick will become the franchise’s next leader. The four-year contract was agreed upon this morning after weeks of rumors that linked the two sides.
The Lakers had previously been tied to UConn head coach Dan Hurley, who was fresh off back-to-back championships with the program. The organization reportedly made him an offer worth $70 million to make him one of the league’s highest-paid head coaches, but he turned it down.
JJ Redick to the Lakers
Again, this announcement should shock no one. James Borrego and Redick had been the two names most often connected to the opening, with reports recently circling about the organization interviewing both. Redick has also recently started up a podcast titled “Mind the Game” with Lakers star LeBron James. Wojnarowski noted the strong relationship between the two on Thursday.
Redick will take over the win-now team with zero prior NBA coaching experience. Alas, he does bring to the table 15 successful seasons of play. The 39-year-old was the 11th overall pick by the Orlando Magic in the 2006 draft after an acclaimed college career. He played for six teams during his career, making his biggest impact with the Los Angeles Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers, where he was a part of several playoff runs. While never hoisting a Larry O’Brien trophy, Redick does have 110 playoff games under his belt.
Of course, Redick is also one of the top 3-point shooters to ever come into the league. He finished his career shooting 41.5 percent from long range on 5.0 attempts per game.
Taking over the Lakers’ job will come with immense pressure. As long as LeBron James is on the roster, the bar will be a championship. The Lakers’ task is now to surround Redick with assistant coaches who can help set him up for success. The most recent example of a former player coming in to serve as a head coach cold was Steve Nash with the Brooklyn Nets. And, well, we all know how that went.
