Making the Case for Potential First-Time Head Coach to Lead LA

The Los Angeles Lakers have made a significant move by parting ways with former head coach Darvin Ham. After two years of mixed results, the Lakers' front office has decided to steer the team in a new direction. 

Time will only tell whether it was the right or wrong decision. Nonetheless, Los Angeles will look for the 29th head coach in franchise history, and the candidates are already flying through. The Lakers have a list of veteran, experienced coaches as well as young, soon-to-be first-time head coaches. The purple and gold have their options, but none may not be more attractive than former NBA sharpshooter and current ESPN broadcaster JJ Redick.

Although Redick has zero coaching experience, there is no questioning his basketball IQ. Whether you're hearing him on the broadcast or listening to him on his podcasts, "The Old Man and The Three," or his other podcast with Lakers superstar LeBron James, "Mind The Game." 

It is very tricky and a significant risk to go with someone with zero coaching experience at the end of the day. Still, it could be worth something, especially with James' insight on Reddick. Some could see it happen, like Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus. In his latest column, Pincus tries to make sense of the Lakers bringing aboard Reddick. 

"His [Reddick] connection to James is undeniable. Assuming the team chooses to stay the course with the 39-year-old legend, at roughly $162 million for three more years, that connection matters."

"It's presumptive to say James wants Redick, but the two share a common view of the game and a natural trust. Unless the Los Angeles Clippers scapegoat Tyronn Lue for yet another Kawhi Leonard-less postseason, Redick seems the most logical choice." 

James could put in a word for the 39-year-old former player. The two have spent a ton of time already, and maybe this was already in the making with starting this podcast together. Who knows, but if you watch or listen to the podcast, James and Redick see the game in a similar way and share the same point of view. Whether that can work out in a player-coach setting is an entirely different ball game. 

Even before the 2023-2024 season, Redick was a hot commodity to join a coaching staff as an assistant. Redick turned down multiple tenures, most notably the Boston Celtics. The 39-year-old told sportswriter Pablo Torres he'd rather coach his nine-year-old's son's team than Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum. 

 "I could be helping [Jayson] Tatum win a championship. Instead, I'm trying to figure out how a nine-year-old can beat a 2-3 zone,"

The coaching bug is apparent, as he told Dan Patrick last May that he misses basketball and could seize a coaching opportunity if he sees fit. 

"You certainly miss the competitive side of professional basketball when you retire, and that's probably the biggest itch," Redick told the  last May. "... I'm in a fortunate situation that I can kind of wait and see if there's anything that materializes that's sort of a perfect fit."

The Lakers will do their due diligence. It will be a long road ahead, and they must get it right. Whether that's Redick or an experienced coach, we'll have to wait and see. 

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