Lakers News: Headache for Jeanie Buss and Rob Pelinka, as Ex-Coach Shuts Door on LA Return Following Ty Lue Decision

Could it get any worse for LeBron James and Co.? After a horrid first-round exit in the postseason, the Los Angeles Lakers wanted to reposition themselves for the next one. While the future was uncertain, they let head coach Darvin Ham go. So a wild and hopeful search began, with some major names coming forward like Ty Lue, who is in the last year of his contract with the Clippers. But he immediately shut the doors on his return. The Purple and Gold then turned to Jason Kidd.

Kidd, notably, spent two seasons as the assistant coach with the Lakers, which included the 2020 championship run. While a reunion would have been wonderful, it seems like they’ve run out of time. After three seasons with the Dallas Mavericks, Jason Kidd has reportedly re-locked the job.

“Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd has signed a multi-year contract extension with the franchise,” Shams Charania revealed on X. Alongside his experience in LA, his primetime CV at the Mavs was more than capable of propelling him toward this coaching vacancy.

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In his three years with Doncic and Co., Jason Kidd has led them to two 50-win seasons- something that the Lakers haven’t clinched since 2019-20. Kidd also led the Mavericks to the Western Conference playoff finals in 2022. So, while this door is now closed, even Ty Lue would’ve been a good fit considering his experience with LeBron James, in the 2016 NBA Finals turnaround with the Cavs.

However, the Lue path reportedly hasn’t worked out as well. Along with a few other names, JJ Redick has been linked to the vacancy too. But coach issues aren’t new for the Lakers. The team will be hiring their fourth head coach since 2018. Frank Vogel, the HC before Ham. was fired after leading the team to a 2019-2020 NBA championship with a 127-98 record.

In fact, many people aren’t happy with Ham’s firing. One such person is Stephen A. Smith. “He got screwed. It was the wrong decision… They were better this year than they were last year,” he opined. Regardless, some things just weren’t right. The coach couldn’t get his five best players on the court for a long time. Darvin Ham even benched two of the top four players for other athletes like Taurean Prince and Cam Reddish. Many felt they played much longer than they should have.

But keeping in mind what’s at stake for LeBron James and Bronny, could this be a new beginning for LBJ’s co-host?

From LeBron James’ co-host to his boss: Why should the Lakers risk their fortune on JJ Redick?

JJ Redick has no coaching experience whatsoever. The NBA pro retired three years ago and is yet to take a trip to the NCAA level, if he decides to leave broadcasting and adopt a more hands-on approach in the game. While the Lakers could definitely use a ‘fresh mind’ in their ranks, there’s one other advantage of hiring him.

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The Orlando Magic veteran shares a good connection with LeBron James. Given that they’re both co-hosting the ‘Mind the Game’ Podcast, it also proves they agree with each other’s ideologies on many fronts and get along well. However, there’s a twist. A few days ago, Redick admitted on Shaq’s podcast, “I’ve never hung out with the guy prior to us doing the podcast.”

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Interestingly, now Bronny is looking for an NBA home. Notably, his dad once made it clear he would like to share the court with his son for a season at least. However, would that be an added motivation for Lakers’ President Jeanie Buss and VP of Operations, Rob Pelinka, to punt on Redick’s untapped coaching acumen?

USA Today via Reuters

It’s only easy to assume that this move would work well. The two of them are currently co-hosts and colleagues. However, the landscape could drastically change if that relationship turns into a Head Coach-Player. Popular Sports Commentator Bill Simmons didn’t hold back while expressing his views on the link. “JJ would have to be a lunatic to take the Lakers’ job. I can’t imagine why he would do that,” Simmons exclaimed on his podcast.

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It’s also important to note that Redick has previously turned down multiple coaching offers- the most noteworthy one being the Boston Celtics. Other notable names that the Lakers are considering for the HC position are Mike Budenholzer, Terry Stotts, and Kenny Atkinson. Who do you think will end up taking the hot seat? Let us know in the comments below.