JJ Redick has been linked to the Los Angeles Lakers head coach position, but Rachel Nichols believes it is not a good idea at all. She explained on Undisputed that the Lakers would be making a big mistake hiring Redick, who has no coaching experience.
“I really like JJ Redick, I think he does know the game. All the stuff we say about him with the Xs and Os is true, he’s got a great mind for seeing how basketball games unfold. I appreciate the contributions he could make. So let’s just take him out of it and anyone’s personal feelings out of it. If you just, on the surface… I’m gonna think about putting a guy who has never coached at any level in charge of a team with championship aspirations, two elite players, in one of the most competitive conference environments we have seen in a very long time in the league, that would just seem like madness, right?”
“The fact that we’d even be having this conversation would seem pretty insane. However, you do have to put the names into it, and the fact that JJ does have this relationship with LeBron. The Lakers organization has a history of catering to its stars in a way that many other teams don’t. So if LeBron James walks into Rob Pelinka’s office and says, “This is the guy, this is who I want”, I can see that happening. Is he going to do that? I don’t know, LeBron tends to be a little bit more passive when behind-the-scenes about things that he wants…”
"Putting a guy who has never coached at any level in charge of a team with championship aspirations… that would just seem like madness."
Rachel Nichols on why JJ Redick might not be the answer for the Lakers 👀
(via @undisputed)https://t.co/4c6GuE6yDZ
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 16, 2024
As Nichols mentioned, JJ Redick has a strong relationship with LeBron James, one that has even led to the two starting a podcast together. Many fans and analysts have openly speculated whether it is this close relationship with LeBron that has made Redick a front-runner for the coaching position despite his lack of experience.
Redick is considered one of the smartest players of his generation and has played under some of the best basketball coaches in history. However, it cannot be stated how unprecedented it would be for a coach with zero experience to receive a head coaching position for an NBA franchise, especially one that has the history and the cachet that the Lakers have.
Former NBA Players Share Thoughts On JJ Redick As Head Coach Candidate For The Lakers
Rachel Nichols is far from the only media personality who has weighed in on JJ Redick potentially being named the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. Her colleague on Undisputed, Paul Pierce, warned NBA teams against hiring Redick as a head coach, likening the decision to wanting to date an IG model.
Udonis Haslem, a former teammate of LeBron James, also suggested that the Lakers shouldn’t hire Redick, citing the cynical nature of the locker room and his close relationship with LeBron James becoming a factor. So it appears many former players are against this move.
However, Channing Frye gave a different perspective on this matter, warning Redick that he doesn’t want the immense pressure and scrutiny that comes with the head coaching position for the Lakers.
There are good points made on all sides about the negatives of this appointment. But at the end of the day, the decision about the Lakers head coach will come down to Rob Pelinka, Jeanie Buss, and LeBron James. And as Nichols stated, if LeBron James wants Redick to be his next coach, then Redick will probably get the job.
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