A superb option to lead the Lakers has recently become available.
The Los Angeles Lakers are now in the process of selecting a new head coach. The Lakers’ executive leadership has been assessing and interviewing potential candidates for the position after splitting from Darvin Ham last month. Although players like James Borrego, Sam Cassell, and JJ Redick are frequently mentioned as the front-runners for the position, it is obvious that the Lakers shouldn’t make a snap selection. Any day now, more and better head coaching prospects could become available.
And when JB Bickerstaff, the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, was dismissed on Thursday morning, that’s exactly what happened. LeBron James and company are a fantastic fit for the 45-year-old coach. Search for Lakers Coach: JB Bickerstaff Is Now Available
Bickerstaff is not just a better fit in Los Angeles than the other players on the Lakers’ short list, but he also has more experience.
Since taking over during the 2019–20 season, Bickerstaff has continuously enhanced the Cavaliers squad. With his leadership, the Cavaliers achieved their best postseason result since LeBron James left in 2018. Especially on defense, Cleveland has outplayed their opponent under Bickerstaff’s tenure. Even though the Cavs started two defensive liabilities in Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland the previous two seasons, they still had one of the strongest defenses in the NBA.
It is possible to duplicate that kind of success in Los Angeles. The Lakers are a defensive-minded team, and Bickerstaff is a coach that prioritizes defense. The Lakers will always be more of a defensive club than an attacking one with Anthony Davis at the center of the defense. Additionally, the Lakers’ perimeter defenders are subpar, but Bickerstaff has proven he can overcome this to create top defenses.
Furthermore, there exists an additional degree of affinity between Bickerstaff and LeBron James. Bernie Bickerstaff, JB’s father, was in the Cavs front office the year LeBron took home the championship. Bickerstaff might be a more desirable option for Los Angeles’ head coaching job as a result. The Lakers might not find a better player than Bickerstaff if LeBron James is prepared to consider someone other than his podcast co-host JJ Redick.
This offseason, Los Angeles needs to bring back four former Lakers.
The crucial offseason for the Los Angeles Lakers is about to begin. The next several seasons of LeBron James’s career will be decided by who they select to be their head coach and how they strengthen their roster. Although the Lakers don’t have a lot of cap room, they can still add more through trades. In order to add further assistance to James and Anthony Davis, they can also trade their three first-round selections.
Luckily for them, the trade block and free agent market are brimming with well-known names. Rob Pelinka, the general manager, ought to give getting these former Lakers great consideration as they would be fantastic additions to this team. Let’s examine this. 1. The Monk Malik The Lakers desperately need the 26-year-old shooting guard, who will be available as an unrestricted free agency this summer.
Prior to agreeing to a one-year contract with the Lakers in the summer of 2021, Monk played his first four seasons of professional basketball with the Charlotte Hornets. Monk was able to turn around his career and establish himself as a reliable scorer from all three levels of the floor in Los Angeles. That season, he was so good with the Lakers that he played himself out of a contract, landing a two-year deal with Sacramento.
Monk carried on his growth in Sacramento. In the 2023–24 campaign, he finished with a career-high 15.4 points and 5.1 assists per game, averaging both points and assists per game. He can start when necessary, making him one of the league’s top sixth man. The Lakers require more perimeter players who can create shots. With his ability to shoot, Monk can be a threat off the ball and run pick-and-rolls as well as go to the rim. In free agency, Monk ought to be toward the top of the Lakers’ wishlist if they can afford to sign him.
In their most recent podcast, JJ Redick and LeBron James joke about Lakers rumors.
The Los Angeles Lakers are now in the process of selecting a new head coach. Los Angeles has been looking for a successor for Darvin Ham ever since the team lost to the Denver Nuggets in the first round. JJ Redick is one of the names that has been apparent as a front-runner. Redick’s possible hiring is intriguing because of his relationship with LeBron James. The two have been producing a podcast together for the past three months and are close friends. In fact, they joked about the state of affairs in the most recent edition of the Mind the Game podcast.
James Harden and JJ Redick Make Light of the Lakers’ Coach Hunt
Throughout their podcast sessions, LeBron James and JJ Redick have been adamant about talking about the ins and outs of basketball. They have done a great job thus far of going over sets, tactics, and plans for the game. In their most recent episode, though, they were forced to confront the big picture. It is obvious that Redick is referring to the Lakers coaching rumors when he says there are “other things happening in the NBA world that are not playoff-related.” James realizes that right away and bursts out laughing.
They try not to discuss any specifics of the procedure. This makes sense in light of the fact that the Lakers are still in the hiring process and have planned interviews with a number of candidates, including assistant coaches Sam Cassell of the Celtics and James Borrego of the Pelicans.
It is hard to believe that LeBron James is not involved in the coaching search, despite reports to the contrary. LeBron will not allow the Lakers to select a coach he disapproves of. Redick is the favorite to get the position since he openly supports Redick and his basketball acumen. Redick was a star player at Duke.