The head coach position for the Los Angeles Lakers is one of the most coveted jobs in all of basketball, and with the franchise having relieved Darvin Ham of his duties in early May, oddsmakers believe the front office may elect to hire someone with zero coaching experience to their name to fill the void.
Current ESPN analyst and former 15-year veteran JJ Redick is the heavy favorite to be the new man on the sidelines for Los Angeles, followed by New Orleans Pelicans associate James Borrego and Boston Celtics assistant Sam Cassell as the only other names with greater than 10-to-1 odds.
Next Lakers Head Coach To Start 2024-25 NBA Regular Season Odds
| Name | Odds |
|---|---|
| JJ Redick | -210 |
| James Borrego | +400 |
| Sam Cassell | +800 |
| Kenny Atkinson | +1200 |
| Micah Nori | +1200 |
| Chris Quinn | +1500 |
| David Adelman | +2000 |
| Rajon Rondo | +2000 |
| Phil Handy | +3000 |
| Monty Williams | +3000 |
| Terry Stotts | +3500 |
Odds as of June 3
It was also reported on June 4 by Shams Charania of The Athletic that Los Angeles is "zeroing in on Redick as the frontrunner" to be the team's next head coach. No final decision has been made, but all signs point to Redick being the one to get hired for the role.
The Lakers finished the season with a 47-35 record and needed to advance through the play-in tournament to secure the seventh seed in the Western Conference. They then fell in the opening round to the reigning champion Denver Nuggets in a competitive five-game series, marking the second year in a row in which Los Angeles was eliminated by Denver.
Charania and Jovan Buha reported on May 21 that the Lakers began interviewing candidates for the job, with Redick, Borrego, and Cassell having already had formal meetings with the team at that time. Nuggets assistant David Adelman, Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori, and Miami Heat assistant Chris Quinn were all expected to be interviewed, as well.
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Why is JJ Redick The Betting Favorite?
Despite never having been a coach before, Redick is a respected basketball mind around league circles with a wealth of knowledge who the Lakers reportedly view as a "Pat Riley-like coaching prospect" who can theoretically help the team now and for the long term.
Redick is currently one-half of one of the more popular basketball podcasts going today alongside Lakers superstar LeBron James called "Mind the Game," so their pre-existing relationship can only help his chances.
James has reportedly made it clear, though, that he wants no part in or influence over who the Lakers will ultimately hire to be the new coach. The 39-year-old superstar has a player option for the 2024-25 season which he can either opt in to prior to June 29 or become an unrestricted free agent.
