Lakers ‘zeroing in’ on JJ Redick as next head coach

JJ Redick has been rumored to be a top coaching candidate for the Los Angeles Lakers for a while now. And it appears that Redick will likely become the team’s next head coach, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

“The Los Angeles Lakers are zeroing in on JJ Redick as the frontrunner for franchise’s next head coach, league and industry sources say,” Charania wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Redick has primarily worked in the NBA media world since retiring as a player. Rumors have gained steam in recent years about Redick potentially landing a job as a head coach, however. Unless a possible deal falls through, Redick seems to be on track to earn the Lakers’ head coaching gig.

The rumors initially began to heat up once Redick and Lakers star LeBron James started a podcast together. LeBron has a player option for the 2024-25 season, however. Still, the fact that LA ended up having a head coaching opening after moving on from Darvin Ham led to speculation about Redick being a fit.

Again, nothing is official as of this story’s writing. At this point, though, it would be a surprise to see anyone other than Redick leading the Lakers in 2024-25.

Why JJ Redick wants to coach in the NBA

Redick does not need the position. He’s become a well-respected broadcaster, analyst, and podcaster since his retirement from his playing days.

However, Redick previously made it clear that he wants to coach, via the Road Trippin’ podcast.

“What I really miss is the juice, I miss the action, I miss the competition, I miss leadership, I miss being on a team,” Redick said. “Like in a locker room, like physically in a locker room after winning a road game. Like you miss that stuff. There is a high that you get as an athlete that goes beyond passing, and shooting, and dribbling… taking a charge, or dunking a basketball.

“Those are all these little moments of actual game play, it’s the other moments that I feel like we all miss as ex-athletes right. The part about coaching in general, it’s a very general statement, is like the things that I miss and the things that I love doing. That involves coaching, that all is part of coaching.”

People will have various different opinions about JJ Redick as a head coach if he does indeed end up getting officially hired for the position with the Lakers. There is no denying the fact that Redick loves the game of basketball, though. And based on his podcasts, especially the one with LeBron, he understands the game at a high level.

It’s fascinating to listen to two great basketball minds (LeBron and Redick) discuss the game.

LeBron James

Stephen A. Smith recently shared his opinion on LeBron James’ role in the situation, via ESPN First Take.

“This is throwing zero shade at JJ Redick,” Smith said in late May. “He’s a friend of mine, I got love for him. But here’s the reality… We’ve always said that LeBron James is a master at trying to dictate narratives, right? What are we supposed to believe when you know good and da*n well that Darvin Ham is on a hot-seat, and you start a podcast with JJ Redick… And on this podcast your talking strategy, you’re talking scheme, you’re talking all of these different things.”

Again, Smith made these comments before Charania’s recent Redick-Lakers update. In the end, Redick would probably love to coach a legend like LeBron in the NBA. Sure, there would be pressure but the potential of winning a championship would lead to an exciting endeavor.

It will be intriguing to see if the Lakers do end up officially hiring Redick. And if so, the focus will immediately turn to the Lakers’ offseason moves. If LeBron stays, Los Angeles needs to find a way to win. After all, LeBron will turn 40 years old later this year and it is uncertain how much longer he will play in the NBA.

We will continue to monitor and provide updates on this story as they are made available.