National Basketball Association

JJ Redick's 'focus is on the NBA Finals,' won't address Lakers candidacy until after

Updated Jun. 6, 2024 11:22 a.m. ET

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JJ Redick might become the next head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers soon, but he's only willing to discuss his current job for the time being. It's also a pretty big one.

The former NBA player, who's part of the broadcast team for the 2024 NBA Finals on ABC, declined to address a report from The Athletic that the Lakers are zeroing in on Redick as their next head coach in an interview with "GoJo and Golic."

"My focus is on the NBA Finals," Redick said Wednesday. "In terms of [the report], that will be addressed once the season is over. I'll just say that."

Redick later noted that he would specifically address Shams Charania, who broke Tuesday's news, rather than the Lakers job at the end of the season.

The Lakers can technically hire Redick now. The Charlotte Hornets announced Boston Celtics lead assistant coach Charles Lee as their next head coach in May, but he won't join the team until after the NBA Finals wrap up. The series between the Celtics and Dallas Mavericks could go as deep as June 23, which is just three days before the 2024 NBA Draft. 

Ever since the Lakers fired Darvin Ham in early May, Redick has been viewed as one of the front-runners to become their next head coach. Their search has been focused on Redick and former Hornets head coach and current New Orleans Pelicans associate coach James Borrego, The Athletic reported. Redick reportedly had the first in-person interview with the Lakers a few weeks ago and Borrego has met with the team multiple times.

While the Lakers are reportedly zeroing in on Redick, they've yet to have contract discussions with him, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.

Still, it appears that the job is Redick's to lose. Members of Los Angeles' organization have become "infatuated" with Redick during the process, according to The Athletic. The Lakers have reportedly consulted former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, who coached Redick in college, throughout the process.

That isn't the only clear connection Redick has to the Lakers' organization during the process. He also began hosting a podcast, "Mind the Game," with Lakers star LeBron James in March. The show discusses the state of basketball along with breaking down the Xs and Os of certain plays and situations.

Even though James is linked to Redick, he hasn't been involved in the Lakers' coaching search, The Athletic reported in May. 

Rachel Nichols on Redick, HC search: 'Lakers don’t have a ton of choices'

Redick was one of the better 3-point shooters in NBA history, ranking in the top 20 in makes and percentage before retiring in 2021. He quickly rose up the broadcasting ranks after launching a podcast as a player, joining the lead crew for ESPN this season.

"I am so fortunate that I am in this position and I get to call these Finals with Doris [Burke] and Mike [Breen]," Redick said. "My day-to-day right now is consumed with calling games, the 19 different podcasts I feel like I have, my obligations to all of our partners."

Redick has never coached basketball beyond the youth level. 

Meanwhile, the Lakers have a vacancy for the second time in two years after losing to the Denver Nuggets in the playoffs for the second straight season. After being swept in the Western Conference finals in 2023, the Lakers fell to the Nuggets in five games in the first round this year. 

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