Several weeks since the departure of coach Darvin Ham, the LA Lakers are still in the market for their next head coach. While LeBron James had an impressive season and Anthony Davis recorded a career-high 76 games, the LA Lakers ended their disappointing season with a first-round exit that left Ham jobless.
When picking their next coach, the Lakers will choose a qualified candidate with enough NBA experience or someone close to LeBron James. Most NBA bettors believe that being close to LeBron James is more important, which makes JJ Reddick a strong favorite for the Lakers’ next coach odds.
Besides Reddick, other interesting possibilities include James Borrego, Sam Cassell, Tyronn Lue, and Mica Nori. However, you need to go through the coverage of the NBA on Sportytrader for the latest betting tips before making predictions on the Lakers’ next head coach.
But first, here’s a brief preview and betting odds of the top three coaching candidates for the Lakers.
Betting odds for the next LA Lakers Coach
JJ Reddick (-140)
While JJ Reddick’s lack of NBA coaching experience might be a concern for some fans, his relationship with LeBron James has given him strong odds. Reddick is currently the bookmakers’ favorite to get this job at -140 odds. The former NBA player had a stellar collegiate career and was a solid player for 15 seasons in the league.
Reddick currently runs a podcast entitled “Mind the Game”, hosted alongside LeBron James. However, the Lakers recently reported that LeBron isn’t involved in the coaching hire process. The same report also revealed that the LA Lakers consider Reddick as a coaching prospect like Pat Riley and could help the franchise for years.
James Borrego (+425)
Former Charlotte Hornets coach James Borrego might be a hotly contested commodity this season as the Lakers and Cavaliers are considering signing him. The New Orleans assistant coach has met with the LA Lakers once to discuss the role. Borrego was the first NBA coach to get fired after improving his team by a total of 10 or more matches in consecutive seasons.
Borrego has recorded two titles serving as the San Antonio Spurs assistant coach and he’s the only candidate with NBA experience that the Lakers have interviewed. The 46-year-old Mexican-American coach doesn’t offer a lot of value in the LA Lakers’ next coach odds, but he’s attracting a lot of attention for NBA teams with coaching vacancies.
Sam Cassell (+500)
Sam Cassell is another top contender that the LA Lakers have interviewed for the head coaching job. The Boston Celtics assistant coach will face stiff competition from favorites like James Borrego and JJ Redick for the role. However, the three-time NBA champion understands what it takes to succeed in the NBA, with his odds as the next Lakers head coach standing at +500.
Conclusion
Since Phil Jackson’s retirement in the 2010/2011 NBA season, the LA Lakers have hired six coaches and none has lasted for over three seasons. Their next head coach will lead a team that features one of the best league duos with Anthony Davis and LeBron James. That puts Reddick as the overall favorite for the role thanks to his relationship with LeBron, although the team has said that James won’t influence their hire.