There is a growing feeling that former 3-point specialist JJ Redick is the favorite to become the next head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. In fact, one insider has said he believes it is just a matter of time before the team announces Redick as its next head coach.
There are those who believe Redick has the makings of a great head coach. He has exhibited solid basketball knowledge on a tactical level as a broadcaster on ESPN and as LeBron James’ co-host on the “Mind the Game” podcast. In fact, a report in The Athletic said the Lakers view him as a “Pat Riley-like coaching prospect.”
Then there is the matter of Redick’s friendship with James. Would the former even be a candidate if he weren’t doing a podcast with the latter?
Rich Paul, James’ agent, denied the superstar has had any involvement in L.A.’s coaching search. But Skip Bayless said on Fox Sports 1’s “Undisputed” that Redick being a candidate has everything to do with James (h/t Sportskeeda).
“LeBron’s fingerprints are all over JJ.”@RealSkipBayless on the NBA analyst lining up to be the Lakers next HC pic.twitter.com/U5w5gNbDUa
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) May 30, 2024
“I know that Rich Paul (LeBron James’ agent) keeps saying that LeBron has nothing to do with any of this process,” Bayless said. “I’m sorry, his fingerprints are all over JJ (Redick). There’s no way JJ is even a candidate for this job if LeBron didn’t bless him to start with. And then it’s like, ‘Well you go ahead and make the choice.’
“He is really good at talking basketball because they talk basketball at a very deep, high level on their podcast. And I’m sure LeBron has been extremely impressed with his knowledge, and I think it’s very difficult to impress LeBron James with your basketball knowledge, because his is at the top of this league.”
There is no doubt James and Klutch Sports have some pull within the Lakers organization. The question is, exactly how much pull does that camp have, especially after it was apparently the sole impetus behind the disastrous trade for Russell Westbrook in 2021?
