JJ Redick explains why he wants to coach the Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakersare in the hunt for a new coach. Darvin Ham’s two-year tenure came to an end shortly after the end of the season, and finding someone to appease LeBron James won’t be an easy task.

James can opt out of his contract in the offseason, so he holds all the cards now. That’s why the Lakers need to be strategic in every move they make to show him that they can compete at the highest level.

With that in mind, reports state that they’re considering hiring former NBA player JJ Redick, who recently started a podcast with James, to be Darvin Ham’s replacement.

JJ Redick Talks About His Desire To Be A Coach

Redick was reportedly a candidate for the Toronto Raptors’ coaching position last offseason. Instead, he continued his career as a podcaster and an analyst for ESPN. However, he recently admitted that he missed the competition and everything that comes with an NBA environment:

JJ Redick

“What I really miss is the juice, I miss the action, I miss the competition, I miss leadership, I miss being on a team,” Redick said on the Road Trippin’ podcast with Richard Jefferson and Channing Frye. “Like, in a locker room, like physically in a locker room after winning a road game. Like, you miss that stuff. There is a high that you get as an athlete that goes beyond passing, and shooting, and dribbling, and — well Richard (Jefferson) never took charges — taking a charge, or dunking a basketball.”

Redick was never a star, but he was a respected veteran who spent 15 years in the pros. And while he’s been quite successful in his most recent endeavors, he just can’t help missing the league:

“Those are all these little moments of actual game-play, it’s the other moments that I feel like we all miss as ex-athletes right,” Redick said. “The part about coaching in general, it’s a very general statement, is like the things that I miss and the things that I love doing. That involves coaching, that all is part of coaching.”

see also

Lakers players didn"t like Darvin Ham because of a role player

At the end of the day, hiring a rookie coach might not be in the Lakers’ best interest. Then again, he does have top-notch basketball knowledge and IQ, and more importantly, he may have LeBron’s ear.