The Lakers are taking a big swing with their new head coach.
After a dramatic coaching search, the Lakers struck a four-year deal with JJ Redick on Thursday, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The 39-year-old will make roughly AU$12 million per season, according to The Athletic.
Redick co-hosts the Mind the Game podcast with Lakers star LeBron James, who can become a free agent this summer.
Redick, who has no coaching experience, most recently was an analyst for ESPN and called the NBA Finals with Mike Breen and Doris Burke.
Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka offered Redick the job on Thursday after being sold on his “ability to connect with players and his basketball IQ,” according to ESPN.
The Lakers offered UConn coach Dan Hurley a six-year, $105 million contract, but Hurley opted to remain in Storrs to chase an NCAA championship three-peat.
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Redick retired from playing three years ago after 15 NBA seasons and was known as a sharpshooter, finishing with a career 41.5 shooting percentage from 3-point range.
The former Duke star, whom the Magic selected No. 11 overall in the 2006 NBA Draft, played parts of seven seasons in Orlando and later played for the Bucks, Clippers, 76ers, Pelicans and Mavericks, averaging 12.8 points per game in his career.
He averaged a career-high 18.1 points per game with the 76ers during the 2018-19 season.
Redick was linked to the Lakers job ever since the team fired Darvin Ham on May 3 after a first-round playoff loss to the Nuggets in five games and first spoke to Pelinka at the NBA draft combine last month.
James, 39, holds a player option for the 2024/25 season and has yet to officially make a decision on his future, though his pal Redick becoming the Lakers’ coach ostensibly increases the likelihood he’ll stay.
Anthony Davis remains a top star when healthy, and he managed to play a career-high 76 games this past season, though injuries will remain a concern as the 31-year-old gets older.
The Lakers also met with Pelicans assistant James Borrego before settling on Redick.
This article originally appeared on the New York Post and was reproduced with permission