SUMMARY
- The Lakers could consider hiring Monty Williams if the Pistons let go of him upon re-evaluation.
- James Borrego and JJ Redick remain top candidates to coach the Lakers next season.
The Los Angeles Lakers have been carefully hunting for candidates to take over the head coach’s position that was previously occupied by Darvin Ham. The former coach was with the organization for two seasons but it didn’t seem like he was doing them any justice after a certain point. LA chose to dismiss Ham after they experienced a first-round exit against the Denver Nuggets.
Besides the potential candidates that have already been named, NBA insider Marc Stein recently claimed that there is a possibility that former Coach of the Year Monty Williams could become a candidate if the Detroit Pistons let go of him. His future with the Pistons remains a major question mark after the hiring of Trajan Langdon as their newest GM.
BREAKING: The Pistons are now “believed” to be evaluating their coaching staff, including head coach Monty Williams.
(via @JLEdwardsIII) pic.twitter.com/tZ1VIksfzU
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) June 5, 2024
Williams still has five more seasons left with the Pistons and is owed around $80 million. He was previously offered to coach the Lakers ahead of the 2019-20 season. Williams rejected the idea and took up an offer that brought him to the Phoenix Suns. LA ended up hiring Frank Vogel, who led them to a championship that season.
Anthony Davis would prefer having James Borrego coach the Lakers
Reports have stated that JJ Redick is currently the frontrunner to coach the Lakers next season. However, James Borrego, who is an assistant coach of the New Orleans Pelicans has also made a strong case to occupy the vacant HC position. Unlike Redick, the Pelicans coach has a lot of experience in coaching. Stein claims that Anthony Davis would prefer having Borrego coach the Lakers over Redick.
Some people around the league believe that Anthony Davis would prefer James Borrego over JJ Redick, per @TheSteinLine
“ It has been suggested in some corners of the league that Lakers star big man Anthony Davis probably prefers for James Borrego to get the job over Redick. Not… pic.twitter.com/AeqjydwjUN
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 6, 2024
Davis and Borrego’s tenures briefly overlapped after the All-NBA was drafted No.1 overall by the Pelicans in 2012. Despite being an assistant for a good chunk of his career, Borrego served as an interim head coach for the Orlando Magic in 2015. He was the Charlotte Hornets head coach between 2015 and 2018. James has also won two titles during his tenure with the San Antonio Spurs.
James Borrego and JJ Redick have separated themselves as the Lakers’ top candidates
It is evident that James Borrego and JJ Redick have solidified themselves as the best candidates to coach the Lakers. Recent reports claimed that Redick is most likely closing in on a deal with LA and the announcement will be made after the NBA Finals concludes. Redick has no experience in coaching, let alone coaching a star-studded team like the Lakers.
JJ Redick and James Borrego are likely the finalists for the Lakers coaching job
who should they hire? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/YPlLhJDNUa
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) June 3, 2024
However, his knowledge of the game of basketball is what impresses everybody around him. He has spent enough time analyzing the game as a media figure since retiring from the sport in 2021. Redick could very well become the next Steve Kerr, who also walked into the Bay Area without any coaching experience and won four titles with them.