According to NBA insiders Shams Charania, Jovan Buha and Sam Amick of The Athletic, the Los Angeles Lakers prioritized Anthony Davis’ voice in their coaching search.
The Lakers are hiring JJ Redick, who spoke with Davis on June 17.
“After meeting with the Lakers on June 15, Redick spoke on the phone with Davis on Monday, a critical relationship in the years to come, the sources briefed on the situation said,” Charania, Buha and Amick wrote. “The decision to choose Redick came as the Lakers, led by Pelinka, prioritized Davis’ voice in the process and ensured that he understood the shared vision. Other key players were supportive of the hiring, those sources said.”
Redick is signing a four-year deal worth in the neighborhood of $8 million per season with the Lakers, who fired Darvin Ham after two seasons.
Los Angeles lost to the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 Western Conference Finals and fell to Denver again in the first round of the 2024 playoffs.
One of the best shooters in NBA history, Redick has yet to coach above the youth level. He played 15 years in the NBA with the Orlando Magic, Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, New Orleans Pelicans and Dallas Mavericks.
Davis and LeBron James have been teammates on the Lakers since 2019. Los Angeles won the 2020 title over the Miami Heat in six games at the Walt Disney World bubble.
LeBron, who can become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, co-hosts the “Mind The Game” podcast with Redick.
“Multiple sources with direct knowledge of the meeting described Redick as ‘impressive’ during his visit to Los Angeles, diving deep into his offensive and defensive philosophies and displaying his passion for the sport that foreshadowed a willingness to submit himself to the countless working hours for the modern head coach,” Charania, Buha and Amick wrote.
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