Former Lakers star Danny Green spoke to Lakers Nation in an interview. When asked about why the Lakers’ head coaching position is considered one of the worst in the NBA, Green provided an alternative perspective. He said that he doesn’t think the position is the worst in the NBA, but certainly the toughest and most scrutinized.
“No job in the NBA is a bad job. It’s probably just the toughest job… It’s hard to put words to the category of the NBA. It’s probably the least favored. It’s probably the hardest one.”
I’m sure there’s jobs that I can think of than being a head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, because of the perks, the pay, that type of deal… With the limelight, it is probably the toughest head coaching job in the NBA. I wouldn’t say the worst job in the NBA, though.”
Green certainly makes a salient point about positions in the NBA. Obviously, there are a lot of lucrative benefits that come with being the Lakers head coach. Whether that be the lifestyle of living in LA, or the opportunity to work with some incredible players. But it is never all sunshine and rainbows as Lakers head coach.
Green pointed out that the media scrutiny and fan expectations make the job one of the toughest in the league. The Lakers are one of the most decorated franchises in NBA history, and the fanbase is accustomed to winning championships. So anything less than that is considered a failure, which puts any coach’s job in jeopardy.
Redick has a very strong relationship with LeBron James, with the two even hosting a podcast together. However, there are some concerns about Redick’s lack of coaching experience on any level coming into the Lakers job.
Paul Pierce recently derided the Lakers for considering JJ Redick for their next head coach, claiming that they weren’t making a decision focused on winning. There are some valid questions that can be asked of Redick, considering he’s stepping into the most scrutinized position in basketball without any experience whatsoever.
There is every possibility that Redick ends up surprising everyone and excels in the role. Many players and analysts have lauded Redick for his basketball acumen and intelligence. Perhaps that acumen translates brilliantly in his role as Lakers head coach, and he can bring the Lakers back to being contenders.
It will be interesting to see how the Lakers build a team for Redick. While LeBron James and Anthony Davis are virtual guarantees, everyone else on the roster is expendable. Perhaps Redick massively reconstructs the roster to his liking to get the best out of his team.
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