LeBron James leading the Lakers’ coaching hiring process has been the narrative, but a trusted NBA insider says that’s actually the opposite of what’s going on at LA.
Despite the reports, NBA insider Shams Charania says that LeBron isn’t involved in the search to replace the fired Darvin Ham.
“I’m told LeBron James is not involved in the Lakers’ head coaching search,” Charania said on Run It Back. “I’ve reported on it last week. J.J. Redick, James Borrego, Sam Cassell are the lead initial targets. But LeBron James has made it clear. This is the organization’s decision. He’s had no conversations with the Lakers about J.J. Redick, his podcast partner. He’s had no conversations with J.J. about that position as well. I did speak to Rich Paul this morning. He said, ‘LeBron James and J.J. Redick, they do a podcast together. That does not mean that he wants J.J. Redick as his head coach.’ But he’s leaving it up to the organization. We’ll see what LeBron James decides for his future.”
Lakers Daily‘s Anthony Irwin says that the idea that the Lakers are seriously considering “potentially hiring Redick with no coaching experience has people around the league scratching their heads.”
“Though one Eastern Conference executive has a theory on why they might head in this direction:
“‘If they hire J.J. and it doesn’t work out,’ the source said, ‘Rob [Pelinka] can basically tell Jeanie [Buss] the hire was for LeBron [James] and get another chance at hiring whoever comes next. This is technically the safest hire he could make, outside of Ty (Tyronn Lue) somehow being available’,” Irwin shared.
Redick is a former NBA player and current basketball analyst on ESPN.
Despite his impressive NBA knowledge, Redick hasn’t got any head coaching or assistant coaching experience.
So to hire him could be a massive gamble.
He also has a recently created podcast with LeBron himself, which could make matters complicated if he did get the top coaching job at the Lakers.
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