The Lakers long flirtation with J.J. Redick as head coach — interrupted by an attempt to woo Dan Hurley — is about to proceed to a formal date, or more accurately a formal interview for the job.
Redick and the Lakers front office have talked plenty in the past, including for hours at the NBA Draft Combine — enough that some within the organization thought his hiring was inevitable — but this weekend he will have his formal interview for the head coaching job, reports Adrian Wojnarowski at ESPN.
JJ Redick will formally interview for the Los Angeles Lakers’ coaching job this weekend, and a strong performance is expected to move him to the forefront of the franchise’s search, sources told ESPN.
Redick, an ESPN NBA analyst who played 15 years in the league, had a 90-plus-minute visit with Lakers vice president and general manager Rob Pelinka last month at the Chicago draft combine. Now, a trip to Los Angeles will go far deeper into detail on the job and the meetings will include Pelinka and owner Jeanie Buss, sources said.
James Borrego, the other name most mentioned as a possible next Lakers coach, seems to be on track to be the next Cleveland Cavaliers coach, according to multiple reports (the Cavaliers are still talking to Kenny Atkinson as well).
Signs are pointing toward Redick becoming the next Lakers coach, which is something that would clearly play well with his podcast partner LeBron James — who continues to insist through his agent that he is not involved in this search, and that continues to generate eye rolls throughout league circles — and, presumably, Anthony Davis (another Klutch client) as well.
Redick would be a real roll of the dice by the Lakers. Los Angeles just fired Darvin Ham — a first-time head coach but a long-time and highly respected assistant and former NBA player — and would replace him with a coach with no high-level experience. Redick’s basketball IQ is not in question — and it feels like his “Mind the Game” podcast with LeBron is almost part of his resume for the job — but being an NBA coach is about managing egos and distractions while helping players grow and fit into roles more than it is Xs and Os. It’s part psychologist, part friend/father figure, and part coach.
What the Lakers reportedly want is someone who can not only help the team win in the final years of LeBron’s career (however many that ends up being) but also is an Xs and Os “grinder,” can command a locker room, and can build a foundation of player development that can make winning sustainable in a new salary cap era. The Lakers want to build a culture and system, something similar in outcome to the Miami Heat culture with a foundation of development and winning that can add stars like Jimmy Butler (or LeBron before that). Los Angeles has long been a star-driven culture and team, but it has to be more than that to thrive where the NBA is heading.
That’s a lot to ask of Redick or any coach, but he’s a big name, a fresh face, and if this weekend’s interview goes well he may get the chance.
