According to a report by ESPN on Thursday, the Los Angeles Lakers are scheduled to conduct a formal interview with JJ Redick this upcoming weekend for their vacant head coaching position.
JJ Redick, 39 years old and known for his role as an ESPN analyst and popular podcaster, brings 15 seasons of NBA experience to the table, albeit without any prior coaching background.
Sources suggest that a compelling interview with Lakers’ general manager Rob Pelinka and owner Jeanie Buss in Los Angeles could catapult Redick to the forefront of consideration to succeed Darvin Ham, who was dismissed last month. Redick had previously engaged with Pelinka during last month’s draft combine in Chicago.
The Lakers had pursued UConn head coach Dan Hurley extensively, offering a reported six-year, $70 million contract, only to see Hurley opt to remain with the defending national champion Huskies. Redick’s coaching aspirations were also evident when he interviewed for the Charlotte Hornets’ coaching vacancy in April and was a candidate to replace Nick Nurse with the Toronto Raptors last summer.
Currently serving as an ESPN Finals analyst, Redick’s playing career spanned six NBA teams from 2006 to 2021, during which he averaged 12.8 points per game and maintained an impressive 41.5 percent shooting accuracy from beyond the arc across 940 games.
The decision to part ways with Darvin Ham, who amassed a 90-74 record but struggled in the playoffs with a 9-12 record since taking over from Frank Vogel in 2022, underscores the Lakers’ desire for fresh leadership.
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