After missing out on their
initial target, the Los Angeles Lakers finally land another whale
they’ve been eyeing for a while.
According to ESPN’s Adrian
Wojnarowski, the 17-time NBA World Champions will be hiring ESPN
analyst and former NBA player JJ Redick as the franchise’s next
head coach.
Despite having no prior head
coaching experience at any level in the NBA, Redick has obtained
the green light from Lakers GM Rob Pelinka and owner Jeanie Buss to
lead the franchise next season.
Redick has a podcast with a
player he soon will be coaching LeBron James in ‘Mind the Game’, in
which they talk about basketball concepts and strictly hoops and
hoops alone. Redick and LeBron particularly dissect plays that
teams run in the NBA and the ones they have encountered over the
years they have played in the league. This distinct knowledge of
the game and his relationship with James might have contributed to
this hire.
To help Redick have a faster
learning curve for his first-ever coaching job in the NBA, the
Lakers are reportedly eyeing to surround him with an elite head
coaching staff with a wealth of experience and veteran
presence.
A 15-year NBA vet, Redick
promises to be a strong developmental coach who can connect with
younger players, and this figures out to be an enticing prospect
for the Lakers as they plan to infuse their young talent in Austin
Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Max Christie, and Jalen Hood-Schfino into
more opportunities.
