The Los Angeles Lakers seem to have pivoted back to JJ Redick following their failed pursuit of Dan Hurley, and some have wondered if Redick might be offended that he was not the team’s first choice. That apparently is not the case.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Thursday that Redick will have a formal interview with the Lakers this weekend for the team’s head coach job. If that goes well, Redick is expected to move to “the forefront of the franchise’s search.”
Redick has spoken with Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka over the phone in recent days. The ESPN analyst has communicated that he “understands and accepts Pelinka’s lengthy pursuit” of Hurley, according to Wojnarowski.
The Lakers reportedly offered Hurley a 6-year, $70 million contract. Shams Charania of The Athletic has been saying for quite some time that Redick is at the forefront of L.A.’s search. It is possible that the Lakers expressed interest in Hurley early on in their search and the UConn coach declined, only to later circle back. One theory is that Hurley decided to engage with the Lakers for leverage in contract extension talks with UConn.
Whatever the case, it should not be that difficult for the Lakers to smooth things over with Redick if he is now their preferred choice. The 39-year-old has no previous coaching experience, so it seems unlikely that he will drive a hard bargain in contract negotiations.
Redick, who is currently covering the NBA Finals as an analyst for ESPN, even seemed giddy when asked about the Lakers head coach job recently.
