Top 5 Head Coaching Candidates for Los Angeles Lakers
John Canady
Host · Writer
David Adelman, Denver Nuggets
David Adelman is fresh off an NBA championship as an assistant coach to Michael Malone in Denver. The Nuggets coach has not only learned under one of the best in the league but also gained plenty of playoff and championship experience. The 42-year-old has yet to receive his first opportunity to lead a team of his own, but with his resume building in Denver, the promising coach could be a top candidate for Los Angeles.
Tyronn Lue, Los Angeles Clippers
Tyronn Lue may be the most unrealistic option for the Lakers, but it may make the most sense with his ties to the franchise as a player. Not only did Lue make his mark as a role player in Los Angeles, but he’s made quite the name for himself as a head coach in the NBA. The head coach is currently under contract with the Clippers, so his future with LAC would have to be figured out before he could even be considered for the job. Nonetheless, with Lue’s time with LeBron James in Cleveland, his fit with the Lakers is almost too perfect not to include him as the ideal candidate. However, with the Clippers looking to extend the head coach, it falls on Lue to decide which team in Los Angeles he would rather coach.
James Borrego, New Orleans Pelicans
James Borrego may be one of the brightest coaches in the NBA. Borrego is another coach from the Gregg Popovich tree. Learning under arguably one of the greatest coaches ever earned the young basketball mind an opportunity as the Charlotte Hornets head coach from 2018–2022. However, after a rough stint in Charlotte, Borrego was relieved of his duties and picked up a new gig in New Orleans under head coach Willie Green. Now, Borrego is listed as a possible candidate that the Lakers have a strong interest in, and understandably so.
JJ Redick, ESPN Analyst
JJ Redick was among the multiple candidates to interview for the open head coaching vacancy with the Hornets before Celtics assistant coach Charles Lee was named Charlotte's next head coach. However, with Redick’s knowledge of the game and his experience in the league, it was only a matter of time before the former sharpshooter entered the coaching world in the NBA. Not only does Redick have a high basketball IQ, but he also understands players and has all the tools and traits to be a great head coach in the league. Whether with the Lakers or another team, the ESPN analyst will likely land a coaching gig soon if he desires to do so.
Kenny Atkinson, Golden State Warriors
Kenny Atkinson is another top offensive mind in the league. After multiple stints as an assistant coach in the NBA, Atkinson earned his first head coaching job with the Nets in 2016. After being fired in 2020, the New York native served as an assistant coach with the Clippers before joining the Warriors staff in 2021. After coaching alongside Steve Kerr and winning a championship in 2022, Atkinson is rumored to be in the running for the Lakers head coaching vacancy.
David Adelman, Denver Nuggets
David Adelman is fresh off an NBA championship as an assistant coach to Michael Malone in Denver. The Nuggets coach has not only learned under one of the best in the league but also gained plenty of playoff and championship experience. The 42-year-old has yet to receive his first opportunity to lead a team of his own, but with his resume building in Denver, the promising coach could be a top candidate for Los Angeles.
Tyronn Lue, Los Angeles Clippers
Tyronn Lue may be the most unrealistic option for the Lakers, but it may make the most sense with his ties to the franchise as a player. Not only did Lue make his mark as a role player in Los Angeles, but he’s made quite the name for himself as a head coach in the NBA. The head coach is currently under contract with the Clippers, so his future with LAC would have to be figured out before he could even be considered for the job. Nonetheless, with Lue’s time with LeBron James in Cleveland, his fit with the Lakers is almost too perfect not to include him as the ideal candidate. However, with the Clippers looking to extend the head coach, it falls on Lue to decide which team in Los Angeles he would rather coach.
