The LA Lakers lost eight of nine games over the last two playoffs. The grim scenario caused the firing of Darvin Ham. His dismissal was swift, four days after losing in last season’s first round. It was the second straight year the Denver Nuggets eliminated the Lakers with Ham at the helm of his team.
Ham’s predecessor, Frank Vogel, handled the Lakers for three years before his replacement. Darvin was an assistant coach for several teams. He had stints with the Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks, and the Indiana Pacers. He also worked with the Washington Wizards, Denver Nuggets, and the LA Lakers from 2011 to 2013. The Los Angeles Lakers will now take the risk with JJ Redick as their new head coach.
Are the Los Angeles Lakers Taking a Risk with JJ Redick?
The LA Lakers hired Redick, their fourth head coach since 2018. He will be the seventh in 14 seasons since Phil Jackson left the team in 2011. Lakers management decided on Redick after UConn’s Dan Hurley rejected a six-year, $70 million offering by the Los Angeles franchise.
There is a risk to take on the employment of Redick as head coach. The 39-year-old has no experience coaching at the amateur or professional level of the game. His 15-year experience as an NBA player speaks for his qualifications. He played with the Milwaukee Bucks, Orlando Magic, LA Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, Dallas Mavericks, and the New Orleans Pelicans.
The former Blue Devil is the 13th non-interim head coach hired by the franchise since 1990 without coaching experience. Redick was also a coaching candidate last summer. The Toronto Raptors interviewed him for the coaching job but did not push through. He was also a candidate for the same position for the Charlotte Hornets but Charles Lee got the post. Redick inked a four-year contract with the Lakers at around $8 million per season.
What Sports Analysts Anticipate on Hiring JJ Redick
Sports analysts say that the hiring of Redick is not new and perceived as moving forward after the Hurley rejection. They even say that nothing much the former NBA hoopster could do than what Ham did the last two years. Or, what Frank Vogel did in his last three years, for that matter. Vogel won a title, but the franchise fired him, nevertheless. Ham led the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs but suffered the same fate as well.
Critics say that a roster beef-up is in order even before hiring the former Duke sniper. They anticipate that with the Lakers line-up synchronizing in place, Redick will be doing a good job. Otherwise, he will not look so good with his coaching touch.
Reasons Why the Lakers hired JJ Redick
Since Redick’s retirement in 2021, his reputation grew as a former NBA player. The LA Lakers saw his potential with strong tactical leadership and considered him to coach the team.
He has a strategy that will work with his new rotation to take shape. His tactics will include elevating Davis’s involvement, particularly in the later part of the game. Also, one of his tactics is to lessen the ball-handling responsibilities of LeBron James. James is 40 years old and keeping him off the ball could yield favorable results.
Although Redick’s hiring got divided reactions, there will be some players and coaching staff who will benefit from his hiring.
Austin Reeves is all Praises for the New Head Coach
Lakers shooting guard Austin Reaves stated that he is excited to work with Redick. He is excited to start working with the former ESPN Analyst. Reeves praised JJ Redick as another basketball genius added to the sidelines of his team. Redick has the backing of Lebron James and other key players of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Main Image: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports
