The Lakers hosted former participant and present broadcaster JJ Redick on Saturday of their most formal interview with him to this point, with a number of members of the group talking to the previous Duke star in regards to the workforce’s head-coaching emptiness.
The step is a vital one for Redick, who has been a central determine within the workforce’s teaching search as an exterior favourite, a presumed frontrunner after preliminary contact on the NBA draft mix and now as doubtlessly the ultimate candidate to satisfy with government vp and common supervisor Rob Pelinka, proprietor Jeanie Buss and different key Lakers figures.
Whereas some contained in the group have stated the workforce doesn’t essentially want to rent a coach earlier than the NBA draft on June 26-27, there are main selections that have to be made relating to the roster, together with the potential for buying and selling as much as three first-round picks (No. 17 this yr and unprotected firsts in 2029 and 2031) on draft night time.
The Lakers beforehand hosted New Orleans assistant coach James Borrego and Connecticut head coach Dan Hurley. The workforce provided Hurley the job, however he turned down a six-year, $70-million deal to stick with the Huskies.
The seek for Darvin Ham’s substitute has stretched over a month with Pelinka conducting the method first by way of a sequence of casual conversations. Along with Borrego, Hurley and Redick, the workforce additionally spoke with a pool of different candidates, together with Boston assistant Sam Cassell, Denver assistant David Adelman and Minnesota assistant Micah Nori.
Redick, based on folks with information of the state of affairs not licensed to talk publicly, has had a number of conversations with Pelinka since Ham’s firing.
Learn extra: Steve Kerr and Doc Rivers discuss what JJ Redick would possibly face if he coaches Lakers
Because the earliest levels of the search, although, Redick was thought-about a candidate by outdoors observers. He was briefly linked to the opening in Charlotte earlier than shifting to the foreground within the Lakers’ search.
Regardless of inner pushback the Lakers had been conducting an open and wide-ranging search, rival NBA executives repeatedly linked the Lakers to Redick. The workforce’s pursuit of Hurley, partially, confirmed that the Lakers’ search prolonged past the recognized candidates.
Redick, who has constructed a profitable podcast firm, co-hosts one present with LeBron James known as “Thoughts the Recreation,” the place the 2 speak extra in-depth about basketball technique and play-calling.
James, who might be an unrestricted free agent this summer time ought to he decide out of his deal, has not been straight concerned within the Lakers’ search.
Redick is presently broadcasting the NBA Finals, and it has been broadly speculated the Lakers would wait on him to complete his duties with ESPN/ABC earlier than hiring him as head coach.
Nonetheless, the workforce hosted Borrego for in-person interviews two weeks in the past and final week shocked the basketball world when their curiosity in Hurley grew to become public.
With Redick, the Lakers can be playing not solely on a first-time NBA coach however on somebody with none significant teaching expertise at any stage. Redick is considered a extremely analytical thinker with a vibrant basketball thoughts. He performed for 15 seasons within the NBA, together with a cease with the Clippers, the place he blossomed into one of many NBA’s greatest three-point shooters.
He is the all-time main scorer at Duke and twenty second all-time in Division I males’s basketball.
Workers author Broderick Turner contributed to this report.
Join our weekly publication on all issues Lakers.
This story initially appeared in Los Angeles Occasions.
