After seemingly an endless stream of speculation on a daily basis since the Los Angeles Lakers parted ways with head coach Darvin Ham following their first-round exit against the Denver Nuggets, the storied NBA franchise has finally hired their new head coach with JJ Redick getting the job.
With so much made about what the Lakers offered Dan Hurley to leave UConn for the bright lights of Los Angeles, everyone has been wondering what Rob Pelinka and company would be offering to Redick if he was indeed their top choice after Hurley’s return to the Huskies.
According to Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic, Redick has inked a four-year deal worth $8 million per season:
Seven weeks after firing Darvin Ham, the Los Angeles Lakers landed on their next head coach on Thursday: JJ Redick, the 15-year NBA veteran turned podcaster and broadcaster, league sources with direct knowledge of the situation tell The Athletic. Redick is signing a four-year deal worth in the neighborhood of $8 million per season with the Lakers, according to sources briefed on the deal.
Unlike Hurley who had won back-to-back National Championships with UConn and is considered the best head coach in college basketball, Redick is a first-timer with zero coaching experience, which means he’d likely get a deal on the lower end.
However, with the Detroit Pistons parting ways with head coach Monty Williams on Wednesday, some believed that Redick could try to leverage his situation with the Lakers if he became a leading candidate for the struggling franchise, which he seemed to become on Thursday morning.
Even though the Pistons may have played a role, Redick ultimately took the job he was rumored to be a frontrunner for all along, which means the Lakers brass can now focus on filling out his coaching staff and the upcoming 2024 NBA Draft as well as trying to convince superstar forward LeBron James to stay long-term.
Candidates for Lakers coaching staff
Some potential members of JJ Redick’s staff on the Lakers have already emerged as it was reported that they will target Scott Brooks, Rajon Rondo and Jared Dudley, among others.
Considering Redick has never coached before at any level, it will be important for the Lakers to surround him with experience on his bench. Brooks is a former head coach and would fit that bill, but it will be interesting to see who else the Lakers target in the coming weeks.
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