JJ Redick’s first season as the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers was respectable.
The former Philadelphia 76ers guard helped the franchise win 50 regular-season games and waltz into the postseason with confidence after elevating their play with Luka Doncic (who was acquired by the franchise in early February).
However, Redick’s questionable rotations, combined with the Lakers’ ineffective frontcourt unit, resulted in a first-round playoff exit at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Lakers have no intentions of firing Redick after one season. Still, Lake Show Life’s Svyatoslav Rovenchuk believes the organization should hire a 67-year-old former New York Knicks head coach as an assistant this summer to support Redick.
“After Mark Walter bought the majority ownership stake in the franchise, the Lakers suddenly have money to burn,” Rovenchuk wrote Saturday. “They should use a portion of it on bringing in the perfect assistant coach for JJ Redick.”
“Lakers fans wish the NBA was more like MLB. There are far less restrictions regarding what a rich ownership group can do for an organization there. The second apron quickly settles this conversation down a decent bit.”
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“However, there are other ways in which this money can materialize for Los Angeles. Those key areas can be places like the front office and the coaching staff.”
“Tom Thibodeau was let go from his head coaching position for the New York Knicks after the team lost in the Eastern Conference Finals. There are plenty of flaws to Thibodeau as a head coach. However, as an assistant, Redick would get some much-needed support from the veteran mind.”
The Knicks recently relieved Thibodeau of his duties after five seasons with the franchise.
Following four disappointing campaigns under Thibodeau, the Knicks experienced a breakthrough this season, reaching the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years.
Like Redick, though, Thibodeau’s head-scratching lineups contributed to the Knicks’ eventual postseason exit (the franchise fell to the Indiana Pacers in round No. 3) and his offseason firing.
However, considering the 2008 NBA champion is an experienced and defensive-minded coach who could help make Redick’s transition from podcasting to leading an NBA team smoother, it wouldn’t be a bad idea for the Lakers to consider bringing him on board as an assistant this summer.
Los Angeles’ No. 1 priority should be adding a Luka Doncic lob threat, but hiring Thibodeau may not be too far behind.
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