While the Lakers ongoing meeting with prospects in the final days of the combined NBA draft, their coaching research continued be a strong topic of conversation between scouts and rival executives.
Internally, Lakers sources not authorized to speak publicly have tried to describe their coaching search as a “completely open” process, with things still in the early stages.
Following the Darvin Ham’s resignationthe team began researching a batch of candidates that included key assistants, former coaches and, yes, announcer/podcaster JJ Redick.
Interviews with candidates are fierce, but so far everything that is being discussed has certainly been called “hypothetical” by the candidates involved in the process.
See more information: Lakers Newsletter: Would JJ Redick be a good fit as Lakers coach?
But despite what the Lakers are saying, many around the league consider Redick to be the favorite and have offered varying levels of approval.
Some see Redick as a brilliant, analytical basketball mind with excellent knowledge of the game and excellent communication and presentation skills.
Some wonder if Redick’s business relationship with LeBron James would poison his ability to connect with the rest of the locker room, an opinion expressed prominently on television by Udonis Haslam.
Others see nothing but inexperience and see the Lakers job as a disaster waiting to happen even for experienced coaches, let alone someone moving from the broadcast booth to their first coaching job.
Part of what drives the expectation that Redick will get the Lakers job is the belief that he will have incredibly strong interviews, according to sources discouraged from discussing personnel changes for competitive reasons.
See more information: The next Lakers coach? Here is a summary of potential candidates
The reality is that, at this stage, no one can say for sure.
New Orleans assistant James Borrego has strong support for his candidacy and has been highly valued by New Orleans officials and executives who spoke with the Times.
Boston’s Sam Cassell, an NBA assistant since 2009 after a 15-season NBA career, is expected to be interviewed soon and has real support from others in the NBA.
The same can be said for candidates like Miami’s Chris Quinn, Minnesota’s Micah Nori and Denver’s David Adelman.
The race is apparently open enough that anyone with a direct or indirect connection to the candidates would feel comfortable making their pitch in Chicago.
The Lakers’ offseason plans, and to some extent their coaching plans, also depend on LeBron James and his future with the organization.
James’ appearance on the court in Cleveland on Monday night definitely raised suspicions throughout the league about his future intentions. Sources largely believe the Lakers will eventually re-sign James, with the 39-year-old star just working out different scenarios for the terms of the contract.
There have also been discussions about the Lakers and their interest in Cleveland guard Donovan Mitchell, which sources say.
The Lakers’ best offer in any blockbuster trade looks somewhat similar, with the team able to offer its first-round draft pick of the year — No. 17 — in addition to first-round picks in 2029 and 2031. Its best young player , Austin Reaves is still highly regarded within the organization on two fronts – as a prospect for the future and as a player on a team-friendly contract.
The team’s willingness to go all-in on Mitchell or any other player remains unclear. Other options include using draft picks on smaller deals to try to improve margins, with Dallas’ acquisitions of Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington providing real-time examples of how small transactions can have a significant and immediate impact.
See more information: Bronny James isn’t thinking about playing for his father, he’d be happy to make it to the NBA
Other players commonly mentioned as potential trade targets this off-season include New Orleans’ Brandon Ingram, Atlanta’s Trae Young and DeJounte Murray, and Chicago’s Zach LaVine — none of whom have been seriously linked to the Lakers at the combine.
In terms of the draft, the Lakers look like they will be the draft floor for Bronny James at pick 55, a player the team interviewed in Chicago, according to sources not authorized to publicly discuss the draft strategy.
James undeniably boosted his stock in Chicago with strong interviews, impressive athletic tests and strong play in an exhibition game on Wednesday, helping to defuse bad feelings after measuring 6 feet, 1 ½ inches in socks.
Some other players who helped each other out in scrimmages, according to scouts, included Houston’s Jamal Shead, UCLA’s Adem Bona, Marquette’s Oso Ighodaro and Colorado’s KJ Simpson.
The Lakers’ first-round pick, at 17, is near the middle of the second tier of the draft, some scouts believe. This tier includes players like Ja’Kobe Walter, Terrence Shannon, Tidjane Salaun, Jared McCain, Devin Carter, Yves Missi, Kyle Filipowski, Tyler Smith and Tristan da Silva.
Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things Lakers.
This story originally appeared on Los Angeles Times.
