With JJ Redick appearing destined to land the Los Angeles Lakers head coaching job, Stephen A. Smith doesn’t seem sure about whether it’s a good fit.
Aside from the brief blip when Dan Hurley emerged as a candidate for the job, Redick has been the favorite to be the next head coach of the Lakers for about a month. Now that the NBA Finals have concluded and Redick’s ESPN responsibilities for the season are finished, everyone is waiting for an announcement stating he reached an agreement to coach the Lakers. Everyone except for Stephen A. Smith. Wednesday morning, Smith appeared on Get Up and questioned whether the Lakers and Redick are a good match.
Earlier in the day on ‘Get Up,’ Smith also questioned how Redick’s personality would fare dealing with everything that comes with being the Lakers’ head coach. pic.twitter.com/coNjeivNZU
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 19, 2024
“This is what I will say about JJ Redick, I think he’s a brilliant basketball mind, we got mad respect for him. We got love for him here at this network, I can tell you that much,” Smith said on Get Up. “But he is an acquired taste. You understand? I love you JJ, but he’s an acquired taste. He’s my cup of tea, he ain’t everybody’s cup of tea. And JJ does not suffer fools much. It’s hard for him to tolerate. Well, some people would perceive there being a lot of foolishness from time to time with the Lakers organization.”
Smith made sure to note that he wasn’t calling the Lakers fools, expressing admiration for the organization’s front office and ownership. But he still wasn’t sure whether Redick would do well dealing with everything that comes from coaching the Lakers, like having to deal with Kurt Rambis.
“We’ve told Kurt Rambis in the past, can’t be in those coaches’ rooms when you were a head coach and you were 100 games under .500. They don’t want to see you there,” Smith continued. “And so, you gotta take those things into consideration. Somebody like JJ, dealing with the myriad of things that coaching the Lakers will throw in your direction? Wow. That’s a lot to ask that brother to do.”
Redick might not be a perfect fit, according to Smith, but fresh off being fired by the Detroit Pistons, Monty Williams could be. Reacting to the news that Williams was let go after just one season in Detroit, Smith suggested the Lakers reopen their coaching search.
“With Monty Williams available, that is a situation the Los Angeles Lakers should look at.”
Stephen A. Smith with a last ditch effort to keep JJ Redick at ESPN? pic.twitter.com/QHdKn9CXkj
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 19, 2024
“I know we’ve been talking a lot about JJ Redick. But Monty Williams is available,” Smith noted. “That is a situation that the Los Angeles Lakers should look at. I would definitely say that as well. They should look at it…I think Monty Williams definitely should be a candidate for that job.”
Williams is a worthy candidate for any head coaching job, he probably never should have been fired by the Phoenix Suns last year. But it is strange to hear Smith sound so dismissive about Redick’s candidacy in Los Angeles, especially with it being widely reported that he’s their frontrunner.
Smith helped boost Redick’s media prowess in recent years by inviting him on First Take. Redick appeared on First Take less so this season because of his game analyst responsibilities but made headlines even on the rare occasion that he did the show.
As ESPN colleagues with a seemingly good working relationship, one might assume Smith would sound upbeat about Redick’s head coaching candidacy. Instead, Smith is touting Monty Williams for the job, questioning Redick’s fit, and condemning the timing of his podcast with LeBron James. Smith certainly doesn’t need to champion Redick for the job, but it’s surprising to hear him sound so dismissive in recent days.
[Get Up, First Take]
