The rumors are continuing to trend in one direction with the Lakers coaching search as JJ Redick is seen as the favorite and is drawing comparisons to a legendary coach.
As the Lakers begin the first phase of interviews for their head coach position, all indications are that JJ Redick is the early favorite. Being the favorite before the interviews even began, though, doesn’t guarantee anything.
But when the continual reports state the same thing over and over, it’s hard not to sense that this is all ending in an inevitable result.
Here’s a look at the latest reports and headlines about the Lakers’ coaching search
The path of media member to head coach is a very unusual one...but not an unprecedented one. Lakers fans are obviously familiar with that route to coaching as Pat Riley became one of the greatest coaches in league history.
But that is the exception. No one else has made that leap in NBA history. Redick would be one of the most high-profile players to try it, and, unsurprisingly, the Lakers are saying he could be the next Riles, at least according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports on the “Ball Don’t Lie” podcast.
The Lakers are taking an interesting approach to their head coaching search - which may go beyond the Finals pic.twitter.com/Z6LZRyTA9I
— Ball Don’t Lie (@Balldontlie) May 16, 2024
I mean, nothing is more Lakers than believing they can just conjure up another Pat Riley. Or convincing themselves that this very circuitous route that once led to a viable coach is one they can just repeat some 40 years later.
There are reasons to believe Redick could be a head coach. None of them should be because they think he’s the next Pat Riley.
If Redick is already the next Pat Riley, how much of a formality will the interview process be, then? Well, as much as Redick is the clear favorite, it’s also clear that others are going to be considered in this process.
On the latest episode of “This League Uncut,” veteran NBA writer Marc Stein revealed that, while Redick is the favorite, Sam Cassell and James Borrego are going to be serious candidates.
“If you forced me right now to pinpoint a favorite based on everyone I’ve talked to, based on people I’ve spoken to in Chicago at the predraft combine, the early favorite...it would be JJ Redick. But there is a whole interview process to go through. And my read on it is I do think both Sam Cassell and James Borrego will also be strongly considered for this job.”
Cassell and Borrego are both candidates that deserve serious consideration. Hopefully, the Lakers give them that amount of consideration, too.
Even if they aren’t hired as the head coach, both would make fine assistants on the staff as well. It’s unclear if either would accept that role with the Lakers, but these are also among the reasons you continue to interview candidates even when you think you know who you’re going to hire.
On the topic of assistants, there is one name that has also come up a couple of times. It should be noted that this is not a report, but more connecting some potential dots, so to speak.
If Redick were to be hired, his staff would need to look a lot more like Frank Vogel’s — with David Fizdale, Jason Kidd and Phil Handy on it — than Darvin Ham’s, which had zero former head coaches on it.
As noted above, this could be a supplementary reason the team is interviewing someone like Borrego. But there’s another name that would make a lot of sense for Redick in Stan Van Gundy.
Redick started his playing career under SVG in Orlando, then later reunited with him in New Orleans. Listen to podcasts by Redick and you’ll hear him reference things learned under SVG often.
It would make sense, then, if he were to be hired, that someone like SVG could be one of his lead assistants. It’s a point made by Jovan Buha of The Athletic on an appearance on the “Lakers Lounge” podcast, theorizing him as an assistant given his own personal track record around the league.
As for SVG himself, he recently appeared on the “This League Uncut” podcast and revealed that he does have an interest in returning to the sidelines. Now, would someone who hasn’t been an assistant coach since 2003 be open to taking that role again? Maybe if Redick can convince him to, or if their relationship is truly that good.
But if Redick is going to be the coach, surrounding him with lots and lots of experience will be imperative.
