The Lakers' coaching search remained a hot topic among rival scouts and executives as they continued to meet with prospects in the final days of the NBA Draft Combine.
Internally, Lakers officials who are not authorized to speak publicly have tried to describe the coaching search as a “wide-open” process and still in its early stages.
Following Darvin Ham's firing, the team began investigating a group of candidates that included top assistants, former head coaches, and broadcaster and podcaster JJ Redick.
Candidate interviews are coming up, but at this point everything that is definitely being discussed is being referred to as a “hypothesis” by the candidates involved in the process.
However, despite the Lakers' statements, many around the league view Redick as a favorite and have expressed varying levels of support.
Some consider Reddick to be a bright, analytical basketball mind with a great understanding of the game and excellent communication and presentation skills.
Some wonder if Redick's business relationship with LeBron James inhibits his connection with other members of the locker room, a view prominently expressed by Udonis Haslem on television. be.
They also see only inexperience, see the Lakers' job as a disaster that would happen even for an experienced coach, and don't care about someone moving from the broadcast booth to a coaching job for the first time. Some people don't.
One of the factors driving expectations that Redick will take the Lakers job is that he will have an incredibly strong interview, according to the people, who declined to discuss personnel changes for competitive reasons. It is said that the belief is that
The reality is that no one can say for sure at this stage.
New Orleans assistant James Borrego is certainly a strong supporter of his candidacy, which was also highly praised by Pelicans staff and executives who spoke to the Times.
Boston's Sam Cassel, who has been an NBA assistant since 2009 after a 15-season career, is scheduled to interview soon and has received overwhelming support from league officials.
The same goes for candidates like Miami's Chris Quinn, Minnesota's Mika Noli and Denver's David Adelman.
The race appears to be open enough that anyone with direct or indirect ties to the candidates should feel comfortable making a pitch in Chicago.
The Lakers' offseason plans, and to some extent their coaching plans, also depend on LeBron James and his future with the organization.
Lakers forward LeBron James smiles during the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics on Monday in Cleveland.
(David Dahmer/Associated Press)
James' courtside appearance in Cleveland on Monday night raised doubts around the league about his intentions. Sources largely believe the Lakers will eventually re-sign James, with the 39-year-old star simply considering different scenarios for the terms of his contract.
Sources said there were also discussions about the Lakers' interest in Cleveland guard Donovan Mitchell.
The Lakers' best offer in a major trade is somewhat similar, with the team offering first-round picks in 2029 and 2031, plus a first-round pick in that year's draft (No. 17). can. Austin Reeves remains highly regarded within the organization both as a prospect and as a player on a team-friendly contract.
The team's willingness to commit to Mitchell and other players remains unclear. Other options include using draft picks in non-blockbuster trades to improve profit margins, and Dallas' acquisitions of Daniel Gafford and P.J. It provides a real-time example of how meaningful and immediate impact can be made.
Other players frequently mentioned as potential trade targets this offseason include New Orleans' Brandon Ingram, Atlanta's Trae Young and Dejounte Murray, and Chicago's Zach LaVine. There are no players seriously linked to the Lakers at the combine.
In terms of the draft, the Lakers will select Bronny James, a player the team interviewed in Chicago, with the 55th pick, according to a source not authorized to publicly discuss draft strategy.
James definitely boosted his stock in Chicago with a strong interview, an impressive athletic test, and a strong play in Wednesday's scrimmage, negating any bad feelings after being 6-foot-1 and a half in the Sox. It was useful.
Other players who helped themselves in scrimmages, according to scouts, included Houston's Jamal Shihed, UCLA's Adem Bona, Marquette's Oso Ighodalo and Colorado's KJ Simpson.
The Lakers' first-round pick, 17, is considered by some scouts to be somewhere in the middle of the second tier of the draft. That tier includes players like Jacoby Walter, Terrence Shannon, Tijan Saraun, Jared McCain, Devin Carter, Yves Missi, Kyle Filipovski, Tyler Smith, and Tristan da Silva .
