Sources – Lakers hire JJ Redick for four years as team coach

The Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to a four-year contract with JJ Redick to make him the franchise's next coach, sources told ESPN on Thursday.

Redick, an ESPN NBA analyst who played 15 years in the league, met with Lakers vice president and general manager Rob Pelinka and owner Jeanie Buss over the weekend, and discussions about the vacancy continued throughout the week, sources said.

Pelinka offered the job to Reddick Thursday morning, sources said.

Pelinka has been impressed with Redick's ability to connect with players and his basketball IQ, sources said, and believes having a great coaching staff around Redick will help him learn in his first coaching job.

Redick rose to the forefront of the search a week ago, when the Lakers’ pursuit of Connecticut coach Dan Hurley ultimately was rebuffed.

The Lakers offered Hurley a six-year, $70 million contract, which he turned down early last week, sources said.

According to sources, as Pelinka told Hurley, he still wants a teaching coach and staff that can prioritize the development of young players like Max Christie, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura and devise a creative approach to contain Anthony Davis on both ends of the floor.

Redick has a strong relationship with Lakers star LeBron James, with whom he co-hosts a basketball podcast.