Ever since Darvin Ham was let go by the Los Angeles Lakers back in early May, the NBA world has been on the edge to know the name of his replacement. For quite some time, that person was looking to be UConn head coach Dan Hurley. After he reportedly declined the same, however, rumours started swirling that the franchise may have gone back to their original pick: former Orlando Magic player and LeBron James’ podcast partner JJ Redick. Unfortunately, a confirmation about Redick securing the top spot is not set to come out anytime soon.
A few hours ago, renowned ESPN reporter Adrian Wojnarowski put out the update that the Lakers have still NOT offered the HC post to JJ Redick. This news comes only a couple of days after it was reported that the former player met with the franchise representatives for an interview.
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Adrian Wojnarowski’s update comes just as a couple of analysts, including Anthony F. Irwin, had reported that the Redick-Lakers partnership was a done deal. However, with Woj and Shams Charania denying the same, Irwin is going against the two reporters for not “citing” the sources. JJ Redick may have emerged as the key candidate, but the Lakers are still putting him on hold. This gives a chance for other individuals to shine.
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Along with James Borrego, rumoured to be Anthony Davis’ top choice for HC, another candidate that can rise through the list is the recently made available Monty Williams. Having served as head coach of the Detroit Pistons during the 2023-24 season, he was recently fired by the franchise after it recorded a 14-68 win record, one of the worst ever. According to Yahoo Sports writer Vince Goodwill, Monty Williams availability has changed things, since the Pistons are now considering JJ Redick as a “name to watch“ in their own coaching search. This way, even if Jeanie Buss and the rest of the Lakers management reject him, the former player will have another option to fall back on.
This is a developing story.