Lakers Next Coach Odds: Reddick Solid Favorite
LeBron Will Have Say in Who Los Angeles Hires
When choosing their next head coach, the Los Angeles Lakers can find plenty of candidates with experience. Or they can find somebody who happens to be close friends with LeBron James. The majority of bettors think being chummy with LeBron is more important, so JJ Reddick is a strong favorite in the Lakers next coach odds. After Reddick, there are some interesting possibilities, such as Sam Cassell, Tyronn Lue, James Borrego and several others. There are also plenty of longshots out there, although it’s hard to move past the top five or six.
The LeBron James stats show that he’s still the key cog on the Lakers. While he’ll turn 40 this upcoming season, he isn’t slowing down much and the Lakers will try and keep him happy. That means finding somebody who will make sure he gets his number called often. It could also mean making sure Bronny James is on the team. Sure, Bronny isn’t good enough for the NBA, but the same could be said for Thanasis Antetokounmpo. Nepotism is nothing new to the NBA.
Publicly, the Lakers are saying it’s more important for the new coach to get along with Anthony Davis, although few people are buying that. Just as they’re not buying LeBron’s vow to not be involved with the coaching decision.
The Lakers standings show the team was 47-35 and lost in the first round of the playoffs. That’s not going to cut it in Los Angeles, so the Lakers decided to part ways with Darvin Ham.
Odds to be the Next Lakers Coach
JJ Reddick -140
Who needs coaching experience when you do a podcast with LeBron? That could very well be the deciding factor in the Lakers’ coaching search. There’s no doubt Reddick knows the game and he and LeBron think alike quite a bit. If Reddick really wants the job, you have to think it will be his. The Lakers have met with him already, but are expected to meet with several other coaches.
James Borrego +425
New Orleans assistant coach James Borrego is expected to be a hot commodity this offseason. He also has met with the Lakers once. Borrego has two titles to his name while serving as an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs. Borrego isn’t offering a lot of value in the Lakers next coach odds, but will draw interest from teams with vacancies.
Sam Cassell +500
Cassell has been in the league a long time as a player and then an assistant coach. He is a three-time NBA champion, so he knows what it takes to be successful in the league. He also reportedly has met with the Lakers.
Tyronn Lue +1000
Lue is one of four candidates at odds of +1000 and he’s coach James in the past. He was on the sidelines when Cleveland won its only NBA championship in 2016. He’s already in Los Angeles coaching the Clippers, so wouldn’t have to move far.
David Adelman +1000
Adelman is the son of longtime coach Rick Adelman and has helped the Nuggets reach the upper echelon of teams in the NBA. He is expected to meet with the Lakers soon and offers a little bit of value in the Lakers next coach odds.
Micah Nori +1000
An assistant coach with Minnesota, Nori has risen in the rankings recently. He’s another coach the Lakers are believed to want to speak with. It’s hard to argue with what the Timberwolves have done this season.
Chris Quinn +1000
An assistant coach with the Miami Heat, Quinn is believed to be the last of candidates on the short end of the coaches the Lakers want to meet with. The Cavaliers have also expressed interest in Quinn, along with several others on the list.
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