Following their first-round playoff exit to the Denver Nuggets, the Los Angeles Lakers fired head coach Darvin Ham after two seasons. Now, all eyes are on who Ham’s successor could be. According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Jovan Buha, three candidates have already emerged as the team’s “initial leading head coach targets.” Per Charania’s X account, JJ Redick, James Borrego, and Sam Cassell appear to be at the top of the Lakers’ priority list.
JJ Redick, James Borrego and Sam Cassell have emerged as the initial leading head coach targets as the Lakers begin formal process this week, sources tell me and @jovanbuha.
Details on early focuses of the Lakers’ search at @TheAthletic: https://t.co/ShiecATRkG
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 14, 2024
Recently, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported both LeBron James and Anthony Davis will have a say in who the Lakers hire as their next head coach.
“And of course LeBron James’ opinion will be taken into consideration, but not just LeBron James. Anthony Davis as well I’m told,” McMenamin said. “And the team kind of looks as Anthony Davis finally taking the torch from LeBron in the last season-and-a-half. While LeBron can still have the time to process the end of this season as he decides his future with the team, they have another voice and another leader in Anthony Davis whose opinion they will take under consideration.”
Top 3 Los Angeles Lakers Head Coach Candidates Revealed
JJ Redick
Redick was a 14-year NBA veteran and college phenom at Duke in the early-to-mid 2000s. Currently, the 39-year-old is a broadcaster and analyst for ESPN. Additionally, Redick hosts two podcasts, The Old Man and the Three, and Mind the Game with James. Although he has no NBA coaching experience, Redick has been a coaching candidate for a few years.
In 2022, Redick said he had been asked to join the Boston Celtics’ coaching staff, but he declined the offer. Furthermore, following the firing of their head coach Steve Clifford, the Charlotte Hornets considered Redick as a candidate. However, the team recently hired current Celtics assistant Charles Lee instead.
James Borrego
Currently an assistant coach with the New Orleans Pelicans, Borrego has coached in the NBA since 2003. Furthermore, he was an assistant coach with the San Diego college basketball team from 2001-2003 as well. Throughout his NBA coaching career, Borrego has also worked with the San Antonio Spurs, New Orleans Hornets, Orlando Magic, and Charlotte Hornets. However, Borrego only has head coaching experience with the Magic and Hornets. In parts of four seasons as a head coach, Borrego has a career 109-140 record. In 2005 and 2007, under Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, Borrego won two NBA championships as an assistant.
Sam Cassell
Throughout his NBA career, Cassell won three championships as a player–two with the Houston Rockets and one with the Celtics. Following his playing career, the 15-year NBA veteran has been an assistant coach in the league. From 2009-present, Cassell has worked with the Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers. Currently, he is an assistant coach for the Celtics. Despite his lengthy assistant coaching career, Cassell has no experience yet as a head coach.
