JJ Redick to assemble a star-studded coaching staff.

As JJ Redick finalizes his agreement to become the Lakers’ next head coach, he and team GM Rob Pelinka are already working on finding him some assistant coaches. Due to JJ’s lack of experience, the list of candidates contains several well-known names, including two former Lakers.

“Assistant coaching candidates for Redick’s staff will include former head coach and recent Trail Blazers assistant Scott Brooks, former Lakers guard Rajon Rondo, ex-Laker and current Dallas Mavericks assistant Jared Dudley and Cassell,” wrote Shams Charania.

Scott Brooks is ex-coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder and he was in charge there during some of the glory days with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

He’s currently the top assistant coach for the Trail Blazers but his offensive expertise makes him a valuable asset for any first-time head coach. The same could be said for Sam Cassell, a former point guard who is serving as an assistant for the reigning NBA champions, the Boston Celtics.

Interestingly, the list also includes ex-Lakers point guard Rajon Rondo, who has played with both LeBron James and Anthony Davis. His playing days are over now, but his skills as a playmaker and natural understanding of the game will translate well to the coaching sector. As for Jared Dudley, he’s another former Lakers who can put his 14 years of experience to use.

So while Redick’s inexperience may give him a disadvantage next season the idea is that he’ll be surrounded by enough voices and coaching veterans to help him through the learning curve. It will likely be a slow process but Redick (39) is one of those people who likes to do things the right way and I think he has a chance to make it work. Clearly, whatever he said in his interview was enough to convince GM Rob Pelinka that he was the right man for the job.

Lakers Think Redick Can Be The New Erik Spoelstra
After firing Darvin Ham, the Lakers wanted to be patient and methodical in their coaching search. Over 10+ years, the franchise has cycled through various names but none of them have stuck around to make an impact.

In the case of Redick, his charisma, decorum, and extensive knowledge of the game have the Lakers convinced that he can be someone who stays for many years to come, like Steve Kerr, Gregg Popovich, and even Erik Spoelstra.

“The 39-year-old Redick checks many of the boxes on the Lakers’ extensive checklist for their next coach,” wrote Shams. “He’s drawn internal comparisons to a young Pat Riley as a coaching prospect who jumped from playing to the broadcast booth to the coaching chair. Los Angeles is confident he can be their version of Erik Spoelstra or Steve Kerr – a culture-setter who can grow with the franchise for over a decade.”

The Lakers will need to give Redick more than a few years if he’s to become the next Erik Spoelstra. As JJ learns on the job, he will get better and better but it could take a long time before he’s viewed in the same light as some of the more established coaches in the league.

No matter what happens moving forward, there will be doubts about the Lakers’ choice — but there’s no going back now. JJ is the guy now and all the pressure is on him to live up to the hype and validate Pelinka’s trust in a candidate who has no experience in the role.

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