Los Angeles Lakers admit they're taking a huge risk with hiring of J.J. Redick

The Los Angeles Lakers admit that hiring J.J. Redick as their team's new head coach is certainly a risky move.

After a disappointing season in which they backed into the NBA Playoffs and then were quickly eliminated at the hands of the Denver Nuggets, it was clear that changes needed to be made from top to bottom if the Los Angeles Lakers were going to have a chance to reemerge in the 2024-25 NBA season as a contender.

While the Lakers have left much to be desired in terms of adding to their roster, they did make quite the bold move in hiring J.J. Redick as the team's next head coach.

I don't think the hiring of Redick was all that surprising considering his connection to LeBron James but considering he wasn't that "hot" of a coaching candidate leading up to the hire, it's almost impossible to not consider it somewhat of a shocking move. But the Lakers did feel that such a move was necessary.

In the words of Lakers owner Jeanie Buss, the Lakers wanted to "think a different way" in their hiring of a new head coach. That would explain the Lakers' hiring process this offseason which included a full-court press of University of Connecticut coach Dan Hurley before ultimately hiring Redick. Both would've been bold hires and "different" from what we've seen in recent history for the team.

The Los Angeles Lakers are hoping the risk of hiring J.J. Redick will pay off

But there's also a certain risk that comes with thinking - and operating - differently. And that's exactly what the Lakers are up against as they prepare to enter their first year under the tutelage of Redick who has no coaching experience in the NBA.

Redick certainly has the NBA pedigree and experience that any team would want in a new head coach but hiring a candidate with the lack of experience that Redick has is certainly a bold decision. How will it all pay off for the Lakers? That remains to be seen. But I don't think you can argue against the fact that the Lakers are taking a big risk here.

At the same time, you can't blame them. With the way their recent head coaching hires had gone, the Lakers had to approach this hiring process differently. The hope is that it will also reap different - and more successful - results.