Report: Linda Rambis ‘more vocal’ in JJ Redick hiring; Kurt ‘heavily involved’ in forming coaching staff

Los Angeles Lakers executive Linda Rambis seemingly played a bigger role than usual in the organization’s hiring of JJ Redick this offseason.

Sources told Lakers Daily’s Anthony Irwin that Rambis was “more vocal in Redick’s hiring than with previous coaches.”

“A major factor this offseason compared to previous ones was the involvement at the top of the organization,” wrote Irwin. “Sources say Linda Rambis was more vocal in Redick’s hiring than with previous coaches. Kurt Rambis was heavily involved in putting together Redick’s coaching staff — a process that took up until the end of Summer League.”

Linda Rambis, who is officially L.A.’s executive director of special projects, has held a key role within the organization for many years, and it sounds like she helped the team make arguably its most important decision of the 2024 offseason.

The Lakers officially hired Redick in June after lots of chatter connecting him to the job. While some are excited to see what he can bring to the table for the Purple and Gold, others have expressed concerns over the fact that he has no NBA coaching experience.

Redick, who played in the NBA through the 2020-21 season, used a successful stint in the media world to show off his basketball mind, and he was able to emerge from that chapter of his journey with a job coaching an extremely storied franchise.

This coming season, the first-year head coach will be tasked with trying to maximize the potential of a Lakers squad that has some very good pieces but lost in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs.

Of course, with players like LeBron James and Anthony Davis in the fold, anything is possible, but Redick will have to do his part in order to put L.A.’s two stars in positions to succeed. According to sources, the Lakers were impressed by Redick’s vision for Davis in particular, so he could be poised for a big 2024-25 season.

Two seasons ago, Los Angeles reached the Western Conference Finals with a similar roster to the one it currently has, so the potential is certainly there for the Lakers to re-establish themselves as contenders under Redick.

If L.A. enjoys success under its new head coach, it sounds like Linda Rambis could be partly to thank for helping to make the Redick hire happen.