Los Angeles Lakers head coach Dervin Ham is expected to be fired from his job soon, and potential candidates to replace him have already been announced.
According to ESPN, the two “real” candidates to succeed Hamm both have strong ties to LeBron James and have not yet announced their intentions for his 2024-25 player option, meaning they have no interest in joining the team. The future is up in the air.
Tyronn Lue, who coached James and the Cleveland Cavaliers to the 2015-16 NBA title, and JJ Reddick, who currently co-hosts a podcast with James called “Mind the Game Pod,” There are two candidates.
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Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue gestures during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Detroit Pistons on October 25, 2018 in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)
Of the two, Lue is the only one with head coaching experience, having appeared in 529 games with the Cavaliers (211 games) and Los Angeles Clippers, and has been coaching since the 2020-21 season.
Lue has a career record of 312-217 as a head coach. Throughout his coaching career, he also served as an assistant with the Boston Celtics, Cavaliers, and Clippers.
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Redick may not have coaching experience, but he is a highly respected figure in the NBA. The Athletic also recently reported that the Charlotte Hornets plan to interview him for their head coaching vacancy.
Redick has been an anchor for ESPN since deciding to retire from the league after 16 seasons.
JJ Redick announces the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets game on October 26, 2022 at Ball Arena in Denver. (Jamie Schwabelow/Getty Images)
The reason many believe Redick can succeed as a coach is because of his high IQ for the game and ability to explain the technical aspects of the game to his players.
After the Lakers lost their first round series to the Denver Nuggets in five games, rumors about James’ departure next season began to fly.
However, James addressed the issue with a post on social media.
“I’ve seen and heard a lot of reports about my future. I said it last night and I’ll say it again,” James posted on X earlier this week. “I don’t know yet because all I’m thinking about is spending time with my family and friends! After talking to my family, my lawyer, and my representative about it, once I find out, you We’ll understand. Until then.” [silent emoji]. Love. “
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James gestures to the referee during the first half of Game 3 of the NBA basketball Western Conference semifinals vs. the Golden State Warriors on Saturday, May 6, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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The Lakers would obviously want James, the all-time leading scorer in NBA history, to return for another season. Additionally, if Ham is indeed fired, having a head coach with good chemistry with him could go a long way in allowing him to exercise his player option.
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