Warriors Steve Kerr Scouts J.J. Redick as Lakers Coach: 'It Is Nuts!'
A smart journeyman sharp-shooter who becomes a successful NBA head coach?
Steve Kerr understands the path. And he believes new Los Angeles Lakers head coach J.J. Redick - who has never before been a coach, really at any level - can navigate it.
The Golden State Warriors head coach, speaking to Jim Rome, said Redick is "going to be great" for the Lakers. ... even with the assumed "learning curve.''
"JJ is going to be great," Kerr said. "He's smart as hell, he's been in the league for so long, he understands how this league operates."
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A big part of Redick's success is going to be about players, of course. So the looming LeBron James decision - will he stay in L.A. or will he go - figures to be pivotal to whether Redick can experience early success.
"Obviously, there's a learning curve for everybody,'' Kerr said. "But each one of us has our own unique set of circumstances that we deal with and I was given a golden opportunity, no pun intended, when I became the Warriors' coach in 2014 with a talented young roster.
"As coaches in the NBA we're all kind of dependent on the talent and character of our players and the support that we get from upstairs. So everyone has a unique set of circumstances."
Kerr is not offering any guarantees here, of course, noting that the ebbs and flows of the NBA represented a certain level of crazy for all involved.
"As we know in this league, nothing is guaranteed, nothing is given," he said. "The league's never been crazier... It is nuts. So in my mind, you go in and you try to unify with your front office, your management and try to build something solid and see where it goes."