Reports: JJ Redick agrees to become Lakers' coach

JJ Redick has worked as an NBA analyst for ESPN since 2021.

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The Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to a deal with former NBA player and current ESPN NBA analyst JJ Redick to make him the team’s new coach.

Per multiple reports, Redick agreed to a four-year deal this morning with the Lakers and will be working to surround himself with experienced assistants to round out his staff.

Redick has never coached in the NBA and retired in 2021 after playing 15 seasons in the NBA with six teams. He began serving as an NBA analyst for ESPN shortly after his retirement and was the lead analyst for the network’s telecast of the 2024 NBA Finals on ABC.

ESPN Sources: JJ Redick has agreed on a four-year contract to become the next coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. Rob Pelinka offered job this morning and Redick’s started working on a staff to surround himself with experience. pic.twitter.com/G66eVFRALp

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 20, 2024

Quick story on the Lakers coaching search ending where a lot of people believed it started https://t.co/0zEcR5qpl2 https://t.co/ymebSIU771

— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) June 20, 2024

Redick and Lakers star LeBron James host a podcast together called “Mind the Game,” which launched its first episode three months ago.

The Lakers needed a coach after parting ways with Darvin Ham in early May after he spent two seasons on the job. He was 90-74 in that span with two playoff berths, a run to the 2023 Western Conference Finals and a championship in the inaugural In-Season Tournament.

The Lakers experienced a disappointing 47-35 campaign in 2023-24 that ended with a loss to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs in five games.

Outlook for Lakers: Los Angeles will have the No. 17 pick in the 2024 Draft to work with, a selection that Redick and his staff will surely have input on. The Lakers also have the No. 55 pick in the second round and will be looking to add youth to a roster that features James, who was the oldest player in the league last season.

The Lakers’ difficulties in 2024-25 stung because James and Anthony Davis were largely healthy all year long, with both superstars playing more games than they had managed in an NBA season since 2017-18 — 76 for Davis and 71 for James, the leading scorer in NBA history. D’Angelo Russell also had a strong regular season, setting the franchise record for 3-pointers.

Injuries, inconsistent play and a mediocre defense paved the way for a difficult middle of the season. The Lakers went 3-10 during the holiday period immediately after the In-Season Tournament.

The Lakers were in the Play-In Tournament both seasons under Ham and, while he ultimately led them to the postseason both times, the West Finals run in 2022-23 raised the stakes considerably for L.A. this season.

James and Davis both hold player options this summer, which must be exercised by June 29. Overall, the Lakers have 11 players who are potential free agents this summer. The Lakers have core players D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves, Gabe Vincent and Jarred Vanderbilt under contract for 2024-25.

James, Davis and the Lakers have failed to win a playoff round in three of their four seasons since winning the 2020 championship in the Florida bubble.

Informaton from The Associated Press was used in this report.