JJ Redick linked to Pistons amid Lakers rumors

The Lakers are having a very rough June. After being publicly spurned by Dan Hurley, they had to watch the Celtics eclipse them for most NBA championships in history.

Now, they face the prospect of JJ Redick — their reported top head- coaching candidate — turning them down for another team. 

According to Yahoo Sports' Vincent Goodwill, Redick is "a name to watch" in the Pistons' head-coaching search after the franchise dismissed Monty Williams on Wednesday. 

Goodwill cited Redick's close relationship with Pistons front-office head Trajan Langdon as a reason for him to potentially land the role of Williams' successor. 

"Redick is currently a prime candidate for the Lakers job, so it isn't known how much traction Detroit could actually gain," Goodwill wrote. "Redick and Langdon have the Duke connection, and they were in New Orleans when Redick signed there as a free agent before the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season."

If we're being real, the Pistons job makes more sense for Redick, who has zero head-coaching experience at the pro or collegiate level. The Pistons fielded the third-youngest team in the NBA last season behind only the Spurs and Thunder and could benefit from the fresh and untainted voice of Redick.

Last month, former NBA player Channing Frye advised Redick to avoid the "death sentence" of the Lakers job considering the enormous pressure it would entail to coach LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Instead, Frye urged his close friend to coach a set of younger players and grow alongside them. 

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Pistons are "in no hurry" to finalize Williams' successor before next week's NBA Draft. The Lakers, meanwhile, are widely expected to name Darvin Ham's replacement ahead of the NBA Draft and the free-agency period commencing June 30.