Lakers News: LA Has Already Interviewed 3 Head Coaching Candidates

The Lakers' Darvin Ham replacement quest begins in earnest.

January 3, 2020; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) controls the ball against New Orleans Pelicans guard JJ Redick (4) during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports. / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Lakers personnel have met with at least three of their targeted head coaching candidates, sources inform Jovan Buha and Sam Amick of The Athletic. L.A. has interviewed former 15-year league sharpshooter JJ Redick (L.A. All-Star LeBron James' "Mind The Game" podcast cohost), New Orleans Pelicans associate head coach James Borrego, and All-Star guard-turned-Boston Celtics assistant coach Sam Cassell.

After firing former head coach Darvin Ham this offseason, the Lakers are now looking for what will be their fourth head coach ahead of what would be James' seventh season with the team.

Sources inform Buha and Amick that Redick in particular has stood out to Los Angeles, indicating that the Lakers view him as having Pat Riley-level potential and could possibly steward the club for the long-term.

James' agent and friend Rich Paul, CEO of Klutch Sports, indicated that James is not involved in recruiting Redick or any of the Lakers' head coaching prospects.

“LeBron James and JJ Redick, they do a podcast together,” Paul told Buha and Redick. “That does not mean that (James) wants Redick as his head coach.”

Sure it doesn't.

The Lakers are reportedly prioritizing the fate of the franchise beyond the 39-year-old James' tenure with it as they look for their replacement for Darvin Ham. James has a $51.4 million player option for the 2024-25 season that he could decline this summer, while 31-year-old All-Star center Anthony Davis remains under team control for another year, and will be extension-eligible next season.

It's unclear what the ceiling of a team led by this iteration of Davis would look like. During his prime years with the New Orleans Pelicans, The Brow could, at best, help lift the club to the second round in the West. Back then, he was more lithe, more of a point power forward, and could shoot from beyond the paint. Though he's still incredibly effective for what he is, his abilities have become a bit more streamlined. It would take a far more versatile supporting cast to really bring out the best of Davis, and even then he's a tier below the well-rounded offensive skillsets of star centers like Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid.

James remains the fulcrum of L.A.'s offense. So long as he's entrenched and still performing at a high level, it behooves the team to make sure that its new head coach is a good fit for him, too. Hiring his friend and colleague Redick would help placate the future Hall of Famer.

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