Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick has started to assemble his coaching staff for the 2024-25 NBA season, adding the likes of Scott Brooks and Nate McMillan to the team's bench, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Brooks and McMillan will serve as the two head assistants for the Lakers under Redick, and they bring a plethora of experience with them to Los Angeles.
Together, the two veteran coaches have combined to win 1,189 regular-season games in 31 total combined seasons. Redick, who made it a point of emphasis to say that he was going to be adding coaches with experience to his staff, has now done so with two highly respected names that have been in the NBA for years.
Brooks began his coaching career in the NBA as an assistant for the Denver Nuggets, Sacramento Kings, and Seattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder franchise. In 2008, Brooks was named the head coach of the Thunder, and he led the organization to the 2011 NBA Finals. After being removed as head coach of the team after seven seasons, Brooks served as the head coach of the Washington Wizards for five years. Recently, the 58-year-old was a lead assistant on Chauncey Billups' staff with the Portland Trail Blazers.
It is always a positive thing to have assistant coaches, not only those with head coaching experience but also those who have served as the figureheads for some of the league's greatest stars. In addition to coaching Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook in Oklahoma City, Brooks also coached John Wall and Bradley Beal with the Wizards. Brooks will now be able to add LeBron James and Anthony Davis to his list once he settles in with the Lakers.
McMillan heads to Los Angeles and joins Redick's staff after taking the 2023-24 season off. Initially beginning his coaching career during the 1999-00 season with the SuperSonics as an assistant, McMillan has gone on to be the head coach for four different franchises: the SuperSonics, Trail Blazers, Indiana Pacers, and the Atlanta Hawks. He recently coached the Hawks for three seasons before he was replaced by Quin Snyder during the 2022-23 season.
Over the course of his coaching career, McMillan has been able to coach players such as Gary Payton, Ray Allen, LaMarcus Aldridge, Victor Oladipo, Domantas Sabonis, and Trae Young.
How Scott Brooks, Nate McMillan will impact JJ Redick, Lakers
While introducing rookies Dalton Knecht and Bronny James on Tuesday, Redick was asked about his coaching staff and whether or not he would be coaching the Lakers' Summer League team since he is a first-time head coach. Redick kept his response short and to the point, stating that he had been working hard to assemble a coaching staff to help guide him through his first summer as a head coach in the NBA.
“Dane Johnson will be coaching the California Classic and Summer League. I will be heavily involved in practices. I will also be involved in some capacity during the games, during film, all of that,” Redick stated. “For me, I sort of have to prioritize a bunch of different things right now, including building out of a staff.”
Although he has a very high basketball IQ and has the potential to be a great head coach in the NBA, Redick simply lacks experience for a Lakers organization that is looking to contend at the highest level possible. That is why the additions of McMillan and Brooks are so valuable to this franchise.
Aside from being able to lead the team in different aspects due to their head coaching backgrounds, both McMillan and Brooks will be able to help mentor Redick during his first season on the sidelines. Very few coaches in the league sustain long tenures without being fired, so this shouldn't be held against Brooks or McMillan. These two coaches have earned their stripes through the years, and they both won over 53 percent of the total regular-season games they served as head coaches in.
It is expected that Redick will continue to fill out his staff and add more experienced names to the Lakers' bench ahead of Summer League.
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