2024 NBA Finals – Sport Two
J.J. Redick has been speaking to the Lakers about their head teaching job since Darvin Ham was fired and the search started, though classify these conversations relies upon upon who’s doing the spinning.
Two issues are clear as of Saturday: 1) Redick has had his official, formal interview for the job, which happened Saturday, in accordance with Dan Woike on the Los Angeles Occasions; 2) We may discover out if that is going to occur as early as Tuesday, however it will not occur till the NBA Finals finish.
Exterior of a dalliance with UConn coach Dan Hurley that ended with him staying in Connecticut, Redick has been essentially the most talked about identify in league circles to get the job — executives from different groups anticipated him to get it, and loads of individuals within the Lakers group thought it could occur as effectively. For all of the Lakers’ phrases about wanting a coach who can develop gamers and develop a program and a tradition to assist them compete extra steadily in the long run, the Lakers group has at all times been about superstars and maintaining them joyful. Redick is LeBron James’ podcast associate, and this hiring wouldn’t have gotten this shut with out him and Anthony Davis being good with it.
This is able to be an actual roll of the cube by the Lakers, a high-risk/high-reward rent — no person is questioning Redick’s information of the sport, he was a 15-year NBA participant who developed into one of the vital coveted function gamers and 3-point shooters within the league, however he is by no means coached earlier than at any excessive degree of the game. There are individuals near Redick asking him if he actually desires the job and to surrender a snug broadcast and podcast profession, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst mentioned on the community’s Get Up (hat tip Actual GM).
“And that is one of many the explanation why I believe there’s individuals in his life, in actual fact, I do know there’s individuals in his life, who’ve mentioned ‘Are you positive that is the chance you need? That that is what you wish to depart for? As a result of that is such a difficult job.'”
It’s a difficult job. There’s not a lot stability inside the Lakers group and no coach since Phil Jackson has lasted greater than three seasons, together with Frank Vogel who coached them to a championship. The Lakers have completed seventh or worse within the West 11 out of the final 12 years (the exception was the 2020 Covid season, the place they received the title), and in a deep Western Convention, do the Lakers have the expertise to be higher than that? Does Redick wish to soar to a crew that this summer time will contemplate buying and selling a number of gamers and first-round picks to land Trae Younger (whether or not they make that transfer, or any star-turn transfer, stays to be seen; Los Angeles might merely attempt to enhance the function gamers round LeBron and Davis).
Assuming Boston can end off Dallas on Monday evening and finish the NBA Finals, we might discover out very quickly.
