The Los Angeles Lakers are hiring JJ Redick as their subsequent head coach, sources affirm to CBS Sports activities’ Invoice Reiter. Redick, a 15-year NBA veteran who performed for the Orlando Magic, Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, New Orleans Pelicans and Dallas Mavericks, was most just lately in a TV analyst position with ESPN. He has by no means coached on the skilled nor novice degree.

Whereas profitable on the court docket, Redick’s rise to prominence has largely come by way of the media as he hosted a podcast throughout his taking part in profession. Since retiring, he has labored as a critically acclaimed broadcaster for ESPN. Now, Redick takes one of many highest-profile gigs within the teaching career for his first job.

Redick’s hiring comes on the finish of a tumultuous seek for the Lakers. Whereas he was one of many first names linked to Los Angeles as a candidate, the search took greater than a month in complete and included a prolonged courtship of UConn coach Dan Hurley. A six-year, $70 million provide wasn’t sufficient to sway Hurley to the professionals, so the Lakers as a substitute turned again to a candidate who was within the combine from the beginning.

Whereas it’s uncommon for NBA groups to rent head coaches with out prior teaching expertise, it isn’t unprecedented. Most just lately, the Brooklyn Nets employed Steve Nash in 2020. He had not beforehand labored on a full-time teaching employees, although he had executed developmental work for the Golden State Warriors. The New York Knicks employed Derek Fisher instantly following his retirement as a participant in 2014, and the Nets did the identical for Jason Kidd in 2013.

Essentially the most profitable rent of this fashion has been Steve Kerr, who took over the Golden State Warriors job in 2014 and has since led teh franchise to 4 championships. Kerr, nevertheless, had labored within the entrance workplace for the Phoenix Suns earlier than coming into the teaching world.

Although he lacks expertise, Redick has been on the candidate record of NBA groups since a minimum of final summer season. He interviewed with the Toronto Raptors following the 2023 season and was a finalist for the Charlotte Hornets job this offseason earlier than it went to Boston Celtics assistant Charles Lee. Present Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla tried to lure Redick to his teaching employees as an assistant over a spherical of golf final offseason, however he was rebuffed.

In Los Angeles, Redick figures to have a minimum of one precious ally in his new workforce’s greatest participant. Although LeBron James reportedly stayed out of the Lakers’ hiring course of, he does have a relationship with Redick by way of the podcast they’ve co-hosted since March, “Thoughts the Recreation.” Purchase-in from the locker room was absolutely an essential issue on this rent for the Lakers, as experiences indicated that former coach Darvin Ham had misplaced the help of his gamers all through final season.

Nonetheless, the Lakers symbolize a particularly tough job for a coach with no expertise. Expectations are excessive for a workforce that gained the 2020 championship and reached the 2023 Western Convention finals. Los Angeles’ greatest participant, James, turns 40 this season. Fellow celebrity Anthony Davis is coming off of a wonderful, sturdy marketing campaign, however previous to the 2023-24 season, he had missed a median of over 28 video games per 12 months since becoming a member of the Lakers.

L.A. has reportedly been focusing on star additions this offseason with Donovan Mitchell on the prime of their wishlist. With solely three first-round picks to commerce, although, it is unclear whether or not the Lakers will be capable of put collectively a powerful sufficient package deal to land such a difference-making participant. They may probably use these picks to focus on position gamers as a substitute, however the workforce could have luxurious tax issues subsequent season assuming that start line guard D’Angelo Russell is retained or changed with a participant of an analogous worth.

Whereas successful now could be clearly a precedence, The Athletic’s Jovan Buha mentioned in the course of the search that the Lakers “need a coach that may be their model of an Erik Spoelstra, their model of a Steve Kerr.” That is referring to a coach who can develop into a long-term fixture for the group.

Traditionally talking, the Lakers have struggled to search out such a coach. Redick would be the franchise’s seventh full-time coach since Phil Jackson retired in 2011. If a star can’t be discovered this offseason, it’s unclear who will lead the subsequent technology of Lakers on the court docket after the 39-year-old James and 31-year-old Davis age out of stardom.

Redick and the Rob Pelinka-led entrance workplace might want to reply that query over time. For now, the main target is on maximizing the tip of LeBron’s legendary profession. The Lakers have taken a large threat by entrusting these years to a newcomer to the teaching world, however given the curiosity Redick had generated over the previous few years, the reward could be price it.