Lakers on the Verge of Hiring Darvin Ham's Replacement

The biggest question surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers' offseason is about to be answered. After the firing of Darvin Ham, the Lakers are reportedly finalizing the hiring of JJ Redick as the franchise's new head coach.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Lakers are "zeroing in" on Redick, who has been the frontrunner for the job for the last couple of weeks.

NBA News: JJ Redick About to Be the Next Lakers Head Coach

If you have been following the news about the Lakers' coaching search, this doesn't come as a surprise. Redick made a name for himself over the last couple of years with his smart basketball analysis, earning himself a role as a podcast co-host next to LeBron James.

Redick retired from the NBA in 2021 as a member of the Dallas Mavericks. The former Duke star had a productive 15-year career in the league, establishing himself as a top sharpshooter. Since retiring, Redick has been an on-air analyst for ESPN, separating himself as one of the best basketball minds on the screen.

However, being a coach is an entirely different job. Knowing basketball is not enough. It requires managing egos, controlling the locker room, and earning the buy-in from your players. As a first-time head coach with no prior experience as an assistant, these aspects of coaching will be the most challenging.

This will almost certainly be a difficult role for Redick. The Lakers are not an easy franchise to be a head coach for. The expectations are usually higher than the overall talent level of the roster and you are constantly put under the spotlight. Recent head coaches like Frank Vogel and Darvin Ham were unfairly scapegoated at times for the team's struggles that had more to do with the front office and roster building than coaching.

The best aspect of this hire is the fact that it likely increases LeBron James' odds of staying in Los Angeles. Redick and James are good friends and the Lakers wouldn't have made this hire if they didn't think it would help them retain their 39-year-old superstar.

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