ESPN Analyst and retired NBA player JJ Redick met with the Lakers over the weekend in what appears to be a long-awaited interview for the franchise’s head coaching position.
Redick, who has a podcast with Lakers star LeBron James, met with the team between Games 4 and 5 of the Finals and the two sides have yet to come to an agreement on a deal, NBA insider Shams Charania reports.
“JJ Redick came into LA on Saturday and had hours of one-on-one meetings with Lakers brass, and Rob Pelinka. [and] and ownership,” said Shams Charania The Pat McAfee Show. “I am told that his meetings on Saturday impressed me. Every trait that you see in JJ Redick, that you can think of in JJ Redick, they all shine there. “
The Lakers made a big offer to UConn coach Dan Hurley, but Charania is adamant that Redick has been the team’s No. 1 man since the beginning.
“Listen, regarding his status and where he stands in this program, I said it on May 24, I said it on June 4, and his position as the next coach of the Lakers has not changed since those days. It has not changed now,” said Charania.
“I think what the Lakers are doing now… Rob Pelinka and what that team is doing now is taking the next few days after the NBA Finals now that JJ Redick is done with his Finals career and now he’s been able to make a decision and he’s here. up to the head coach. They want to have their head coach in place with a fix. The draft is next week, so the last thing you want to do is find coaching hires during draft week. So time is of the essence for the Lakers.”
There were reports of people close to Redick asking if he really wanted to coach the Lakers, but Shams said he was interested in the challenge of being an NBA coach.
“Ultimately, he has to want to coach badly, and from what I’m told, he does,” added Charania.
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