Anthony Davis didn't want JJ Redick to coach the Lakers

Earlier on Thursday, ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski shook the NBA world with one of his signature Woj Bombs. Per his report, the Los Angeles Lakers are about to hire UConn coach Dan Hurley.

Hurley has never hidden his desire to coach in the NBA, and the Lakers apparently want him to build his program within the organization. They want him there for the long run, not just for the final years of LeBron James‘ career.

With James riding into the sunset, Anthony Davis should be the undisputed No. 1 option in Los Angeles. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, that might have to do with the Lakers’ decision to pass on JJ Redick, as he was never Davis’ preferred choice.

Anthony Davis Preferred James Borrego Over JJ Redick

“It has been suggested in some corners of the league that Lakers star big man Anthony Davis probably prefers for James Borrego to get the job over Redick,” Stein wrote in his substack. “Not only has Borrego been a head coach twice already in Orlando and Charlotte compared to Redick’s lack of head coaching experience, but he and Davis overlapped briefly during Borrego’s first stint with the Pelicans after Davis was drafted No. 1 overall in June 2012.”

Anthony Davis

Shams Charania Claimed Redick Was The Frontrunner

Wojnarowski’s report pretty much dismisses what Shams Charania of The Athletic had been reporting for weeks now. Just a couple of days ago, he claimed that the Lakers were zeroing in on Redick:

“The Los Angeles Lakers are zeroing in on JJ Redick as the front-runner to be the franchise’s next head coach, league and media industry sources told The Athletic,” reported Charania. “No final decision has been made yet, and the Lakers still have steps remaining in their head-coaching search process, league sources said. But the indications are strong that Redick is their leading choice at this stage.”

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JJ Redick teases beef with Shams Charania over Lakers coaching vacancy

Truth be told, the Lakers would’ve put themselves in a tough spot by hiring a rookie coach with no experience whatsoever, not to mention the fact that Redick’s coaching career would’ve started by sitting on the hottest seat in the NBA.