With the Lakers head coach position still up for grabs, the topmost priority right now will be to decide who will fill that vacancy. After weeks of assessment and deliberation, Rob Pelinka and Co. have reportedly narrowed their search down to two candidates, JJ Redick and Pelicans’ assistant coach James Borrego. But the latest report by NBA insider Shams Charania suggests JJ might be the one on his way to LA. And if that’s the case, the decision could come as a crushing blow for Anthony Davis, as per The Athletic’s Jovan Buha.

Over the weeks, it’s popularly been made clear, “This (head coach) should be more of an Anthony Davis hire than a LeBron James hire,” Buha reiterated. That’s because LeBron’s future in LA is still uncertain with his pending decision on the $51.4 million player option. And even if he does re-sign, he might not have many years left in the league before he hangs his boots. Meanwhile, AD is signed with the team for four more years after his last $186 million contract extension, and will probably outlast James in LA.

With that in mind, the Lakers have kept Borrego in the running because he shares a bond with Davis from their time together in New Orleans. Borrego also has years of coaching experience. He’s been the former head coach of the Hornets and also holds Championship experience from his assistant coach days under Coach Pop at Spurs. But Rob Pelinka’s rumored “infatuation” with JJ Redick could hurt Borrego’s chances.

“When Redick could be joining the organization, what his staff could look like, those are all factors that are undetermined right now. Redick is going to be calling the NBA Finals. So, it appears like he won’t be joining the Lakers until after the finals conclude,” Buha clarified on his YouTube channel, as he covered one of the possible outcomes.

However, there’s another angle to all of this.

What if James Borrego had the flexibility to choose?

As the Lakers seem to have zeroed in on JJ Redick as the frontrunner, there are rumors they are willing to land James Borrego as the assistant coach! “The Lakers would love to have Borrego on the staff, please Anthony Davis, get him his guy and bring in an Assistant who has had Championship success,” Buha said. However, it might be easier said than done, as Borrego is also a finalist for Cleveland’s head coaching gig. That’s a process which is also going on since they fired J.B. Bickerstaff.

If that opportunity presents itself, Borrego is likely to take up that role rather than work as an assistant in LA. There are several other candidates for consideration for the assistant role, along with Borrego. Sam Cassell, Rajon Rondo, Scott Brooks, and Jared Dudley reportedly are being speculated as a helping hand to JJ Redick from the looks of it. Therefore, there is a high chance that Anthony Davis might not get the pleasant scenario of playing under Borrego if the Lakers hire JJ, and Bron is offered a better role elsewhere.

What are your thoughts?

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