One of the most basic ways an organization can help a new head coach is to add experience around him. Such is the case for the Los Angeles Lakers‘ new head coach, JJ Redick, who already has been reportedly consulting with legendary Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Lakers are hiring Nate McMillan and Scott Brooks to flank Redick on the sidelines. Both coaches have extensive NBA experience, combining for 1,189 wins and will play a valuable role in not only maximizing the potential of the 2024-25 Lakers roster, but helping Redick navigate the waters as a first-time head coach.
Who Is Nate McMillan?
The 6-foot-5 McMillan played 12 seasons in the NBA, all for the Seattle Supersonics. As a defensive-minded guard, he made two All-NBA Defensive teams to go with three different appearances on the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year ballot. After primarily starting for the first four years of his career, he’d find his sweet spot as a sixth man, finishing top-5 in the Sixth Man of the Year award for two consecutive years.
After retiring from playing, McMillan took one year off before becoming an assistant coach for the Supersonics, staying in the role for just over a year before replacing Paul Westphal as head coach 16 games into the 2000-01 season. McMillan would spend just under five seasons as head coach of the Supersonics before getting an opportunity with the Portland Trail Blazers.
For the Blazers, McMillan would last over five seasons, winning 48 or more games in each of his last three full seasons, but ultimately his teams would lose in the first round of the playoffs each season. After being let go in the middle of the 2011-12 season, McMillan moved on to be the associate head coach of the Indiana Pacers for three seasons before getting another shot at the top.
In 2016-17, McMillan landed his third head coaching job, this time with the Pacers. He’d post a winning record in each of his four seasons, but again, his teams wouldn’t make it out of the first round a single time. After a year being an assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks, McMillian would get his fourth chance to lead a team, lasting less than three full seasons.
Who Is Scott Brooks?
Brooks didn’t have an illustrious NBA career as a player, though there’s a lot to be said about an undrafted, undersized guard who managed to play 10 seasons, appearing for six different franchises. Brooks was a quality 3-point shooter before the league fully embraced the trend.
Unlike McMillan, Brooks spent a considerable amount of time away before becoming a coach in the NBA. His first opportunity came in the 2003-04 season as an assistant coach with the Denver Nuggets, a full six years after his last playing appearance. He’d spend three years in Denver, one with the Sacramento Kings and then just under two with the Seattle Supersonics/Oklahoma City Thunder franchise before getting his big break.
Taking over for P.J. Carlesimo, Brooks inherited a team that featured a rookie Russell Westbrook and a second-year Kevin Durant before drafting James Harden in the 2009 NBA Draft. The Thunder wouldn’t look back, winning 316 games over the next six seasons to go with 39 playoff wins, making the 2012 NBA Finals.
A disappointing 2014-15 spelled the end for Brooks in Oklahoma City. He’d take a year away before getting another chance, this time as the head coach of the Washington Wizards. The first season showed promise, as the young combination of Bradley Beal and John Wall led the Wizards to the Eastern Conference Semifinals, where they’d lose in seven games to the Boston Celtics. He’d spend four more uneventful seasons there before moving to the Trail Blazers for three years as an assistant coach.
Adding Winners Wherever Possible
In addition to LeBron James officially agreeing to a 2-year, $104 million deal, the Lakers have been trying to add proven winners to support Redick on the court as well. They had a failed pitch to former 4-time NBA Champion Klay Thompson, who has landed with the Dallas Mavericks. The strategy there was clear, surrounding LeBron with shooting, though some would say they dodged a bullet.
The Lakers have been loosely tied to Jerami Grant, Cameron Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith, according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, who wrote:
“It’s too early to write the Lakers off, of course. There’s always a chance they pull a rabbit out of a hat with a trade or signing. They have been active in recent days, discussing potential deals with Portland, Brooklyn and Utah, among other teams, according to league and team sources. Vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka tends to operate in the shadows — more so this summer than ever, according to league sources. It’s certainly possible he has a contingency plan that saves the offseason.”
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