JJ Redick took the reins of the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday claiming to know the stakes of stepping right into a strain cooker as a first-time head coach with championship expectations.
Normal supervisor Rob Pelinka mentioned Redick was all the time within the franchise’s “Plan A pool” of candidates.
He declined to elaborate on the teaching search that concerned UConn’s Dan Hurley, past stating the Lakers was clear with its new coach. Redick first met the Laker’s brass in Chicago in mid-Could, and he mentioned he heard straight from Pelinka when information of Hurley’s candidacy broke.
Hurley turned down the Laker’s provide to stay at Connecticut, the place the Huskies shall be making an attempt to win its third consecutive NCAA championship.
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“He’s a two-time nationwide champion. I understood,” Redick mentioned of being a purported Plan B to Hurley’s Plan A.
Redick mentioned stepping away from the media world and into teaching turned his plan after interviewing with the Toronto Raptors final summer time. He has stored a journal about teaching, which was first raised as a risk by Rick Carlisle when Redick performed for him in Dallas in 2021.
The Lakers fired Darvin Ham after two seasons and enters an offseason with a number of main query marks left to reply.
“We need to are available on daily basis fascinated by competitors,” Redick mentioned Monday. “I do know what the expectations are. It’s my job. It’s Rob’s job. It’s all of our jobs to ship a championship-caliber staff. That’s what I signed up for.”
Redick, who turned 40 on Monday, mentioned he’ll want “buy-in” from gamers to assist his imaginative and prescient turn into actuality. He’s already touched base intimately with Anthony Davis with the thought of him being a “hub” of the staff to maximise his skills.
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Pelinka mentioned the Lakers will honor LeBron James’ course of and the looming June 29 deadline to choose into his contract. Redick, who shared a podcast with James final season, shed some gentle on his imaginative and prescient for James within the closing levels of his profession.
“With LeBron, you need to definitely get buy-in and discuss to him about how he needs to play,” Redick mentioned. “We’ve joked about this. He shot over 40 % from 3 this 12 months. We would like him capturing 3s.”