The Los Angeles Lakers are searching for a new coach after parting ways with Darvin Ham in early May. There are many candidates to choose to pair with the LeBron-James-led LA squad, although, former player-turned-broadcaster JJ Redick could win the team's favor.

Los Angeles' path to finding a coach is murky. The Lakers reportedly had Los Angeles Clippers coach Ty Lue and Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd as their top candidates when they decided to part ways with Darvin Ham, per Marc Stein. However, neither head coach happened to be available.

They are reportedly working through a candidate pool that features former head coaches James Borrego and Kenny Atkinson, highly rated assistants Sam Cassell and Chris Quinn, and JJ Redick.

The Lakers coaching search is just beginning to heat up, but the rumor amongst the front office, coaching, and agent masses gathered for the NBA Draft Combine is that Reddick could be the early favorite to land the job, per Stein.

Belief is building that Los Angeles' vacancy is Redick's to lose despite his lack of coaching experience beyond the youth level.

It would be quite interesting to see JJ Redick at the helm of the Lakers. The former sharpshooter already has an important connection on the team: LeBron James. James and Redick co-host a podcast called “Mind the Game” where viewers can dive into their high-IQ basketball minds.

Speaking of which, if there is one thing Redick offers at an elite level, it is his knowledge of the game. Redick has over 19 years of NBA experience and was one of the best three-point shooters in the league. In addition, he has served as a sports broadcaster breaking down various basketball angles.

Will Redick be the Lakers' next head coach? Only time will tell.

Lakers look to reload after subpar postseason finish

Los Angeles entered the 2023-24 season with high hopes. They came off a Western Conference Finals appearance from the 2023 NBA Playoffs. The Lakers started the year strong and won the 2023 NBA Play-In Tournament, but they went on a midseason slump that saw them fall down the Western Conference standings.

Eventually, LA regained momentum and finished the regular season with a 47-35 record. As a result, the team needed to get to the playoffs through the Play-In for a second consecutive year.

The Lakers beat the New Orleans Pelicans and secured the seventh seed, only to face their mighty foe Denver Nuggets again. Unfortunately, the Lakers fell 4-1 to Denver, marking an early exit. Of course, this sparked numerous rumors and the departure of Darvin Ham.

Ham joined the Lakers in June of 2022, and after a challenging start to the season, he helped LA make their deep 2023 postseason run. The Lakers' success shrank as time passed, and fans became frustrated with Ham's strategies.

Ham's fate became sealed when Los Angeles was bounced by the Nuggets in 2024. He did not win the Lakers a championship, but his efforts helped the organization gain more clarity.

All in all, it will be interesting to see who the Lakers hire as their next coach amid JJ Redick and several other rumors.