thelesterlee
This month-long Lakers JJ Redick flirting has come to an end. Los Angeles has made their final decision.
ESPN Sources: JJ Redick has agreed on a four-year contract to become the next coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. Rob Pelinka offered job this morning and Redick’s started working on a staff to surround himself with experience. pic.twitter.com/G66eVFRALp
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 20, 2024
We can go back to not thinking about this team that couldn’t make it out of the first round this year, but first, you all know with every big event there are winners and there are certainly losers.
Let’s start with the winners:
1. JJ Redick
Sam Cassell has been an assistant coach since 2009. 15 years later, he’s still an assistant coach. He’s a 3-time champion. He’s a former All-Star. And he has to hold Joe Mazzulla’s clipboard.
This Lakers situation may be difficult for a first-time coach with LeBron being Biden’s age and Anthony Davis willing to use all of his PTO whenever he wants but I promise you, JJ Redick would rather be the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers than a 15-year assistant with Jared fucking Dudley by his side.
2. LeBron James
This is a real win-win for LeBron.
If JJ ends up being a great coach, LeBron gets credit for getting his podcast partner the job, similar to how LeBron helped Ty Lue get the opportunity in Cleveland but I guess Lue was an actual coach and from my understanding, JJ’s only coaching experience is for his child’s like, pee wee league squad—but if JJ is the One then LeBron gets what he loves more than anything: a pat on the back.
If JJ sucks, however, it’s cool for LeBron too. Just like the Russell Westbrook trade, fans will look at the front office for the silly hiring while LeBron retires, popping up randomly (whenever his son plays a big nationally televised game).
3. Podcasters
And just like that, the door has been kicked open. Podcasters are now eligible to become NBA head coaches. GMs are rushing to get Zach Lowe and Tim Legler on the phone. Bill Simmons and Ryen Russillo deserve some interviews. Joe Rogan will be running the Charlotte Hornets by the end of the week.
4. Tommy Alter
Speaking of podcasters, we have to talk about this guy. This brown-nosing, neck-bearded, ball-licking, easily agreeable, nepo baby, lap dog will be around the Lakers in some capacity and knowing how impressionable Jeanie Buss is and how Tommy will bust it open for a paycheck and a selfie with a celebrity, JJ Redick’s sidekick with an underbite will somehow be running the Lakers by the end of the season.
And now, let’s talk losers:
1. JJ Redick
I close my eyes and all I see is Steve Nash clapping on the sidelines while the Nets do god knows what on the court. LeBron is far more of a professional than Kevin Durant was on those Nets teams so there’s automatically more structure in LA but we’ve seen former players like Nash get the keys to a franchise and drive directly into a wall.
Derek Fisher was sleeping with the wife of an active NBA player and got into a fist fight at their home. And then just came into Knicks practice like all the players wouldn’t look at him crazy.
Now, the difference between Redick and these guys is JJ does the ESPN broadcasts, he interviews players regularly—it’s safe to say JJ is tapped into the league in a way Steve Nash or Derek Fisher simply weren’t.
2. Rob Pelinka
Rob Pelinka has benefitted from working for a woman who was awarded the Los Angeles Lakers through a will so thanks to his years as Kobe’s agent, Pelinkia is in Jeannie Buss’s circle of trust along with Kurt and Linda Rambis. It’s weird over there. They not like us, for real.
But if this Lakers JJ Redick relationship doesn’t work out, fingers will start pointing. Rob Pelinka has already fired Frank Vogel and Darvin Ham. GMs don’t get to fire 3 head coaches and maintain their jobs. Rob Pelinka’s career is riding on this. As you read this, Linda Rambis is pouring wine into Jeanie’s glass as she talks shit about Pelinka.
3. Darvin Ham
This can’t go well because if it does, it’ll pretty much put an end to Darvin Ham’s head coaching dreams. Shout out to the Milwaukee Bucks bringing Ham back to their staff after two years in Los Angeles but if JJ Redick has any success with this team, it’s over for Ham.
I have no idea if Ham is a good coach. The Lakers have built some strange teams around LeBron and toward the end of last season, they needed D’Angelo Russell to deliver and you never want to be reliant on D’Angelo Russell.
4. Stephen A. Smith
For about a week straight, Stephen A. Smith has actively campaigned against JJ Redick getting this job. Stephen A. and JJ are co-workers. It’s strange.
Remember when the Indianapolis Colts hired Jeff Saturday right off their television? People at ESPN were tip-toeing around their criticisms just out of respect for their friend and colleague but Stephen A. went as far as busting out the race card to stomp on JJ.
“Numerous coaches, Black coaches called me expressing how they took issue with that podcast taking place.” – Stephen A. Smith on the timing of LeBron James-JJ Redick podcast. pic.twitter.com/XrLHO44mYn
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 17, 2024
There are 30 teams in the NBA and there were 14 black coaches last season. This isn’t about racial equality. In fact, Stephen A. is telling on himself in that clip. He says “black coaches called me with an issue about their podcast”. What coach gives a shit about LeBron and JJ doing a podcast? It sounds like something Stephen A. Smith, someone with a competing podcast, would care about.
Stephen A. Smith is a loser regardless but he’s a lame, jealous, petty, liar and I pray for the day sports media moves on from his era—the era without integrity.
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How do you this Lakers JJ Redick relationship will go? Leave a comment below. Respond on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. Or shoot me an email at Deadseriousmailbag@gmail.com. Let’s chat, bay-beeeee. Let me know if you think JJ will crush it in LA so I can steal some of your optimism.
