JJ Redick Still Considered Strong Candidate With Lakers

The Lakers are flying in UConn coach Dan Hurley for an interview on Friday, but that doesn’t mean they are done with JJ Redick.

Per Jovan Buha of The Athletic, Redick is still very much in play for the coaching vacancy in LA.

“Team and league sources cautioned that the coaching search remains far from settled. Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka and governor Jeanie Buss will interview Hurley more formally on Friday, league sources confirmed,” Buha wrote. “There is still a chance the 51-year-old will work out a new contract with Connecticut and remain college basketball’s top coach. Hurley signed a six-year, $32.1 million deal with Connecticut after the 2023 championship season. His buyout to join the NBA would be roughly $1.9 million.

“Redick, considered the front-runner for weeks, remains a viable candidate, according to league sources.”

If Hurley says no to the Lakers, and we believe he will, the search will likely turn right back to Redick and New Orleans Pelicans assistant James Borrego. Redick, of course, would be the more splashy hire. In fact, Hurley may be the only hire who’s splashier.

But the Lakers need to do more than just make a splash. They are relying on Pelinka for roster upgrades. This team won’t be getting better as is, and the Lakers say they know that.

Either way, the coaching search has been far from boring, and that’s just the way the Lakers do business. Everything is big news. But this summer, it can’t be about vastly overpaying a coach. It has to be about actually improving.