The Los Angeles Lakers have yet to hire a new head coach to replace Darvin Ham. A report earlier on Wednesday suggested that JJ Redick was the front runner to land the job.
However, Los Angeles’ brass continues to go through the process. NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski noted that they are not yet close to making a decision.
Even then, we’re starting to hear some noise about who might be brought on to a Lakers’ new staff. One name has popped out as a pretty big surprise.
“Rumors of the Lakers’ staffing plans have run throughout the league during the past two weeks, with some names most commonly mentioned including former head coach Scott Brooks and assistants Sam Cassell and Jared Dudley. Ex-Lakers guard Rajon Rondo has also been under consideration, according to people with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly.”
Report on the Los Angeles Lakers coaching process
The one name that obviously stands out here is Rajon Rondo. He played in the NBA from 2006-2022, including winning a title with the Lakers back in 2019-20. Rondo has no coaching experience.
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Rajon Rondo as a Los Angeles Lakers assistant?
In addition to winning two NBA titles during his time as a player, Rondo gained a major reputation for being a hot head during his time in the league. It’s interesting that he would be bandied about.
That’s especially true if the Lakers are looking to hire an inexperienced Redick to be their next head coach. He also has zero coaching experience at any level.
It was earlier this year that Rondo’s former teammate with the Kentucky Wildcats mentioned him as an ideal candidate to replace John Calipari in that role. The idea never gained any traction.
Either way, it seems as if Rondo has gained a certain reputation as a potential coach after retiring from the league.