JJ Redick hit with blunt Lakers warning from Byron Scott
Byron Scott doesn’t think that JJ Redick is ready to be a head coach.
The Los Angeles Lakers recently fired Darvin Ham after an unsuccessful stint coaching the star-studded Lakers. Ham coached in Los Angeles for two seasons, and neither of them went very well. The Lakers made a solid run in the playoffs last year, but they ended up going down to the Denver Nuggets, the eventual NBA champion. This season, the Nuggets eliminated Los Angeles as well, but it was in the first round. Now, the Lakers need a new head coach, and a name that has been mentioned is JJ Redick.
JJ Redick spent 15 seasons in the NBA and he ended up playing for six different teams, spending most of his career with the Orlando Magic. He started with the Magic in 2006 and he ended with the Dallas Mavericks in 2021. Redick doesn’t have any coaching experience, but his name has been mentioned for the Lakers job.
Byron Scott recently discussed JJ Redick and the Lakers job during an episode of All Facts No Brakes with Keyshawn Johnson, and he doesn’t think that Redick is ready for a role like that. There is obviously a lot of pressure that comes with being the head coach of one of the most successful NBA teams of all time, and that would be a lot for someone with no coaching experience to handle.
“Ask Steve Nash, you know what I mean, no coaching experience,” Byron Scott said. “To me if you really want to be a head coach in the NBA you got to sit behind the bench because that six inches over is a huge decision to make. But being on the bench and kind of seeing everything that’s happening out there, seeing the coaches, giving you advice, listening to the head coaches and other assistant coaches is invaluable, you know, but coming out of the streets just jumping in on that seat, that’s a hot seat, and it’s even hotter here in LA.”
Steve Nash had a ton of talent to work with when he jumped into head coaching, but it didn’t work out. Having experience is huge.
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Byron Scott drops a couple of names he likes for the Lakers job
Byron Scott doesn’t think that JJ Redick is ready to be a head coach, but he did mention a couple of people that he thinks would be a good fit for the Lakers job. Mark Jackson and Sam Cassell are the two that Scott mentioned on the show.
“I’m still a big Mark Jackson fan, still not sure why, I got an idea, he hasn’t gotten an opportunity to coach in this league again,” Scott said. “But the name that I keep hearing now, which I was very excited about is Sam Cassell. Sam Cassell was a great player in this league for a number of years, he’s been an assistant coach for a number of years, he’s never got that opportunity and you look at every squad he’s been with as an assistant coach they’ve been pretty successful.”
Mark Jackson was the head coach of the Golden State Warriors from 2011-2014, so he would bring in some experience. Sam Cassell has been an assistant since 2009, so while he doesn’t have any head coaching experience, he has a good background that should have him ready to take on a role like that.
It will be interesting to see who the Lakers end up taking, but whoever it is, they will be facing a lot of pressure from Los Angeles fans.
Scotty White serves as ClutchPoints’ Chicago Bulls reporter and also as an Associate Editor covering NCAA Football and Basketball. Scotty is a graduate of the University of Michigan and has been in the sports journalism industry since 2020. He has covered athletics at Michigan and USC.
