Former Los Angeles Lakers forward Jared Dudley reportedly is a candidate to return to the franchise, but it would be on the coaching staff this time around.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Lakers may try to pry Dudley from his current position with the Dallas Mavericks to join J.J. Redick’s staff – if the Lakers hire the former sharpshooter as their head coach.
“League sources say fellow Lakers search candidates Sam Cassell (Boston) and James Borrego (New Orleans) would be prime targets for Redick’s staff as well as an expected run at trying to bring Mavericks assistant coach Jared Dudley back to Lakerland,” Stein wrote. “As a Lakers player for the final two seasons of his career in 2019-20 and 2020-21, Dudley had strong relationships with both LeBron James and Anthony Davis.”
While Dudley didn’t play much with the Lakers (he appeared in just 57 games in two seasons), he clearly made an impact as a veteran during his time with the franchise. He would bring a familiar voice to the coaching staff after spending the last three seasons as an assistant in Dallas.
According to Lakers Daily’s Anthony Irwin, the Lakers have zeroed in on Redick as the replacement for former head coach Darvin Ham.
Ham was let go by Los Angeles after it lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Denver Nuggets. Los Angeles was just 1-8 in its last nine playoff games under Ham.
Potentially building a staff of former NBA players (Dudley, Cassell and Redick) could help build trust and respect between the Lakers’ roster and coaching staff since the former players have all spent their own time in the NBA.
Redick, who is currently a broadcaster with ESPN, has not coached at the NBA level.
If the Lakers hire Redick, it would make sense to surround him with assistants like Dudley, Cassell or Borrego, who have experience coaching in the NBA to help him navigate and adjust to a new role.
Los Angeles is attempting to maximize the end of James’ career – if he returns to the franchise this offseason. James has a player option that he could decline to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
However, the Lakers reportedly have been operating as if he will return.
Los Angeles has made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons, but it has not won a title since the 2019-20 season when Frank Vogel was the head coach.
