JJ Redick, if reports are to be believed, very well may become the Los Angeles Lakers' next head coach. But the former NBA player and current media star isn't confirming anything yet.
Redick is set to call the NBA Finals as part of ESPN's broadcast team, and when asked on ‘GoJo and Golic' about the report by Shams Charania that the Lakers “are zeroing in” on Redick as the frontrunner for its vacant coaching position, Redick did not confirm nor deny anything related to the Lakers job.
“My focus is on the NBA Finals, I will say that,” Redick said. “In terms of Shams, that will be addressed once the season is over. I'll just say that.”
JJ Redick: Next Lakers coach?
Early last month, after a first-round playoff series loss to the Denver Nuggets, the Lakers fired Darvin Ham and his coaching staff. Redick, who played 15 seasons in the NBA and has since successfully transitioned to media, immediately became one of the rumored candidates to fill the position.
For some time now, Redick has maintained that he has had an interest in pursuing coaching. But with a burgeoning media career, including hosting multiple popular podcasts and as an NBA color commentator with ESPN, it seemed as if Redick might simply stay in front of a microphone rather than take the leap to the sidelines.
Additionally, because of his lack of coaching experience — Redick has said the only experience he has is coaching his sons' youth basketball teams — it wasn't exactly clear if teams would even take a look at Redick for a head coaching job. However, Redick reportedly interviewed and was one of the finalists for the Charlotte Hornets position that ultimately went to Boston Celtics assistant Charles Lee. And then the Lakers rumors started.
Shortly after firing Darvin Ham, the Lakers reportedly gauged interest in multiple candidates. Some were more logical and natural replacements, like former Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer, who won an NBA Championship in 2021. The Lakers also seemed to have interest in Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue, but the Clippers appeared likely to give him a contract extension to retain LeBron James' former Cleveland Cavaliers coach.
After the Phoenix Suns hired Mike Budenholzer and the Clippers, indeed, extended Lue, the candidates for the Lakers job reportedly narrowed. And chief among the potential Ham successors was Redick, who has a unique connection to James: they host a podcast together. Since March, Redick and James have co-hosted ‘Mind the Game,' a basketball podcast. While it may have not played a factor at all in Redick potentially becoming the Lakers' next head coach, it is an odd coincidence nonetheless.
Redick, of course, may not become the Lakers coach after all. The Duke graduate is set to call his first NBA Finals alongside Mike Breen and Doris Burke for ESPN after Doc Rivers, Redick's former Clippers coach, left broadcasting midseason to become the Bucks' head coach. Additionally, Redick has a very extensive podcasting catalog that he has built and would likely need to leave behind to pursue coaching.
The NBA Finals is set to begin on Thursday in Boston. Redick's final team, the Dallas Mavericks, will play the Boston Celtics. If Redick does wait until after the Finals to make a decision, we'll all be waiting until at least after June 14, when Game 4 is scheduled.
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