Ranking LA Lakers’ 3 coaching candidates
Looking for a new head coach is priority number one for the LA Lakers this offseason after firing Darvin Ham. On May 3, the organization let Ham go after a subpar performance in the regular season and postseason. The Lakers were almost swept by the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs under Ham, and that was enough for the front office to let him go.
The Lakers are still trying to make things work with LeBron James as their primary option. Although the star is slowly aging, the franchise still believes he's got what it takes to lead them to winning another title.
There are reports that the organization will contact the candidates in the coming days. Looking at the narrowed list, three candidates stand out who could be the next head coach for the Lakers. JJ Redick, James Borrego and Kenny Atkinson are the nominees for the position.
Let's take a look at each of them.
Looking at each coaching candidate for the LA Lakers
#3. James Borrego
One advantage of James Borrego is his experience as a head coach. He coached the Charlotte Hornets from 2018 to 2022. He never had an impressive record, but that's because the Hornets never built a solid team for him to coach.
But he's well-respected around the league since he's paid his dues as an assistant under Gregg Popovich on numerous occasions. Borrego has a record of 148-183 with the Hornets and the Orlando Magic (interim HC). It's impressive as he led Charlotte to decent wins despite not having a direction during his time as a head coach.
As a disciple of Coach Pop, he could be the perfect fit for the LA Lakers, who has an aging star. With a more team-oriented system, it could make things easier for the stars of the team.
#2. JJ Redick
Many look forward to JJ Redick making his coaching debut in the NBA. After he retired, many noticed how intelligent he was through his podcast, "The Old Man and the Three." He further expressed his basketball wits when he became a full-time NBA analyst for ESPN.
Additionally, Redick started a podcast with James called "Mind the Game." In the show, both of them show how NBA players understand and analyze certain situations on the floor. This has further solidified his case as a potential coaching candidate for the Lakers.
The only thing that could hold the LA Lakers back is his lack of experience. While he did play in the league for 15 seasons, that might not be convincing enough. And they have just gone through two seasons with Ham, who had no head coaching experience before joining them.
#1. Kenny Atkinson
Kenny Atkinson is the only coach who has experience in coaching a playoff team among the three. Atkinson was the Brooklyn Nets head coach from 2016-2020 and led the team to one playoff appearance.
Much like Borrego, he's paid his dues as an assistant coach for multiple teams. Among the three candidates in this list, he's also the only one who has won a title. He was part of the Golden State Warriors team that defeated the Boston Celtics in 2022.
He may not have enough experience as a head coach, but he's been around the league for quite some time to prove that he knows how to run a team. Additionally, he's been the assistant for some of the great modern coaches, Mike D'Antoni, Mike Budenholzer, Tyronn Lue and Steve Kerr.
Atkinson's experience could give him an edge against the other candidates for the LA Lakers.