JJ Redick reportedly had phone call with Anthony Davis after interviewing with Lakers
JJ Redick reportedly had phone call with Anthony Davis after interviewing with Lakers
The wait is over. The Lakers have finally hired a coach, agreeing to a four-year deal with JJ Redick.
This was a long process, weeks in the making and now that the news is out, we are getting more details on how this agreement came about.
As Shams Charania, Sam Amick and Jovan Buha of the Atheltic reported, Anthony Davis was involved in the process as he had a phone call with Redick after the team interviewed him last weekend.
After meeting with the Lakers on June 15, Redick spoke on the phone with Davis on Monday, a critical relationship in the years to come, sources briefed on the situation said.
The decision to choose Redick came as the Lakers, led by Pelinka, prioritized Davis’ voice in the process and ensured that he understood the shared vision. Other key players were supportive of the hiring, those sources said.
It’s no surprise Davis talked with his potential coach before things were finalized. It was earlier reported that Davis would be a “significant part” of the coaching search, so of course he had a conversation with Redick. It’s notable, though, that Davis was prioritized in this coaching search while LeBron James, by all accounts, was not part of the process.
While LeBron James is still playing at a high level, there has been a changing of the guard and Anthony Davis is now the best player and most important one to this franchise.
Davis was named All-NBA Second Team while LeBron was named to the Third Team and long term, AD has a contract through 2027-28 and a player option for the following season.
Meanwhile, LeBron can and likely will opt out this summer, though the expectation is for him to remain a Laker. He probably has fewer basketball years in front of him than his running mate.
Moving forward, Davis’ voice and presence will likely dictate the direction this organization will go.
He’s now the biggest start in a city filled with them and it will be interesting to hear what Davis has to say about this hiring whenever he speaks to the media and what Redick has to say about coaching his star player.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88.