JJ Redick will be taking over the head coaching responsibilities for the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2024-25 season. The rookie coach has already received a lot of flak after the appointment for accepting the role with no prior coaching experience. Meanwhile, analysts like Skip Bayless have also called out the role of LeBron James in Redick’s hiring. However, now that the move is done, the veteran journalist has shifted his attention to the power dynamics within the Lakers organization.
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In fact, Bayless openly called James the ‘lead-assistant’ for the Lake Show, suggesting that the 39-year-old might as well take up the role of player-coach for his team.
It’s fair to say Skip Bayless isn’t a fan of JJ Redick’s recent hiring for a multitude of reasons. One of them is that King James will now be able to run the Lakers while avoiding all kinds of responsibilities in case of a failed season.
Taking to his FS1 show “Undisputed”, the former ESPN analyst aired his views about the high risk-high reward nature of Redick’s signing. Addressing his co-hosts, the 72-year-old said,
“I get [the] high risk [part in the saying that this is a high risk-high reward situation] because it’s the highest risk. But I don’t get high reward because how can you know! This move is completely unknowable at this point because you have no track record…JJ Redick only played basketball.”
“And he [JJ] was a pretty good player for a very long time…but was he considered a dynamic leader as a player? No. Not really…not a team leader, not a point guard!” Bayless added.
“This move is completely unknowable. You have no track record.”@RealSkipBayless questions the Lakers-JJ Redick hire pic.twitter.com/URKbkpLlSN
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) June 21, 2024
The FS1 analyst basically wanted to say that Redick will act as a proxy for LBJ during his head coaching stint. “All I know is when we talk about building a staff. The truth is, the lead assistant for the Lakers is now LeBron James,” Bayless added.
He was quick to point out that as a rookie coach Redick will be going up against battle-tested geniuses of the game like Jason Kidd and Joe Mazzulla. Not only that, the 72-year-old also highlighted how Steve Nash, a two-time MVP who had an incredible IQ (similar to Redick), failed completely as a coach due to locker-room drama.
Bayless next moved his attention to LeBron James, “I think he [LeBron James] kinda has the chance to be a player-coach because he and JJ are obviously close from the podcast and they have a good connection on the podcast. I don’t know how close they are off the field or off the floor.”
Closing out his comments for the segment, Bayless made it known that the former Blue Devils sharpshooter was no “Pat Riley” even if the Lakers organization may dub him as such. Riley had assistant coaching experience before his first HC stint, while Redick enters the arena a complete fresher.
But the veteran journalist isn’t counting the Lakers out just yet, their game of Russian Roulette might just pay off. Bayless wants to see where the Lakers’ “High risk-high reward” strategy takes them.
![Savannah James recently announced her new initiative Let It Break which will soon be launched for public. In the last few months, the entrepreneur and philanthropist have started several new ventures to add to her already impressive portfolio as a businesswoman. In this moment of celebration, her superstar husband, LeBron James is first in line, as always, to congratulate her for taking on another challenge. LeBron shared the big news on his X profile with a heartfelt caption for Savannah and her friends and business partners. He wrote, "The growth and journey is ALL TO REAL! So PROUD of you Queen !! CONGRATULATIONS to you, April, Porsha and you guys whole powerful community within “LET IT BREAK." King James also shared the article from Harpers Bazaar that features his queen and her friends talking about their new venture. The idea behind Savannah stepping out to start new businesses stems from a conversation that she had with her daughter Zhuri. Three years ago, Zhuri told her mother that she wants to be just like her when she grows up and that made Savannah think about taking on different ventures. Let It Break is an initiative that she is starting with April McDaniel, the founder of creative agency Crown + Conquer and Porsha Ellis. The core mission of Let It Break is to provide overall mental, physical, and spiritual wellness. It will be a membership-based community that will focus on “personal growth and self-discovery.” With the agenda to make women the stronger version of themselves by catering to their well-being, Let It Break will also provide necessary tools for relationship building. Savannah said during the conversation, "I’ve done different modalities of therapy and different things for mental health, but this is a space that is—not new to me, but I’m ready now to put two feet or 10 toes into [launching Let It Break] in this way." She said that she is really looking forward to making the resources available for the members of the community as she understands the value of meaningful relationships. An added element of benefit through this initiative will also be to help find new friendships to the members of the club. It all might sound like its networking, but the three women who are spearheading this program are adamant to not call it that.](https://cdn-wp.thesportsrush.com/2024/06/8bd1fe86-untitled-design-2024-06-21t221327.353.jpg?format=auto&w=384&q=75)
