The Los Angeles Lakers recently ended their one-month search for a new head coach. After reportedly attempting to bring UConn head coach Dan Hurley into their fold and failing, the team management has now closed the deal with former Orlando Magic player JJ Redick. Even though speculation was high that the soon-to-be 40-year-old would secure the top job, his lack of coaching experience made several NBA enthusiasts and analysts critical of him. The same criticism continues even after his unofficial confirmation as the new HC.
A few hours ago, longtime radio presenter Dan Beyer and former NFL player Kerry Rhodes sat down to host a segment for Fox Sports Radio. The duo kicked off the conversation by touching base on Sam Cassell, the assistant coach of the Boston Celtics who has, till now, devoted over 31 combined years to the NBA, with 16 of them as a player. Describing him as someone towards whom no one in the league has anything negative to say, the former athlete indirectly drew a comparison between Cassell, who has never been elevated to the HC position, and JJ Redick who is receiving the posting without any prior experience. The questions are being raised about just how far he can go as a head coach.
“The fact that he’s been in all these on all these really good teams, he’s won as a player…. he knows basketball, he knows players, he has great relationships. Why isn’t he a head coach yet?” asked Rhodes. “He’s been on the record for saying ‘I want to be a head coach’, so it’s not one of those things where he’s, you know, in a comfortable state being an assistant”. The former NFL player further stated that he would not necessarily want Cassell to have been elevated to the Lakers HC position. However, the fact that the veteran still hasn’t gotten his due after so many years is ‘baffling’.
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Sam Cassell has been the individual to watch out for when any coaching vacancy opens up within the NBA. Given his 16 years of experience as an NBA player, along with an additional 15 years as an assistant coach with four different franchises, basketball has been with the 54-year-old for more than half his life.
Back in May, former ESPN personality and sports journalist Marc Stein reported that Sam Cassell is “a legitimate candidate to watch” in the Lakers HC search. This was because the assistant coach is represented by the same agency as LeBron James and Anthony Davis, along with the fact that he has a reputation for forming a good bond with players of his respective franchise. Knowing the alleged disdain that LeBron James shared for Darvin Ham, having a likable instructor would certainly have improved things.
Unfortunately for Cassell, sharing a pre-existing professional relationship with LeBron James gave JJ Redick a bit of an edge. Furthermore, by making use of his media platforms to highlight his unique basketball IQ, Redick made up for his lack of coaching experience.
Celtics may elevate Cassell after Lakers reportedly approached him to join JJ Redick’s coaching staff
Jeanie Buss and the Lakers may not have given the top post to Sam Cassell. However, this did not stop them from still making an attempt to include him in their role
According to reports, the 54-year-old’s name was being touted as among the individuals who the Lakers were looking to include in JJ Redick’s coaching staff. Other people who were reportedly approached for the same include Rajon Rondo and Scott Brooks. However, just as these rumors started to make waves, Marc Stein reported that “Boston is believed to be very keen to fend off Lakers interest in Sam Cassell to elevate Cassell on Joe Mazzulla’s staff”. This means that there is a good chance that he could be named as the Celtics’ top assistant coach.
Cassell certainly has the respect of his team. In Celtics HC Joe Mazzulla’s own words, “He’s been at every seat on the bench, and he knows how to communicate with every single player. Good coach. Great coach.” With the added promotion and the fact that the Celtics recently won the NBA championship, it wouldn’t have taken long for the thought of joining Redick’s coaching staff to be a thing of the past.
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Do you believe that Sam Cassell would have been a better head coach choice for the Lakers? Let us know in the comments down below.
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Before leaving, be sure to check out some insights that Shaquille O’Neal’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, shared about the Lakers legend’s infamous feud with the late Kobe Bryant.
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