New Orleans assistant coach James Borrego is scheduled to meet in person at the Lakers’ practice facility on Wednesday regarding the team’s head coaching vacancy, according to multiple people familiar with the plans but not authorized to speak publicly speak.
He spent last season with the Pelicans after a four-year stint with the Hornets, where he went 138-163. In his final season with the Hornets, Borrego led Charlotte to a 43-39 record.
Borrego was an assistant in San Antonio and Orlando and spent two seasons in New Orleans early in his career, just before the arrival of Anthony Davis.
According to those informed, Davis has a high opinion of Borrego.
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The Lakers have thus far remained tight-lipped about the search process, with outside “noise” — a word used inside the team building — linking them to former NBA player and current broadcaster JJ Redick.
While general manager Rob Pelinka has spoken more privately with candidates, Wednesday’s conversations expanded within the organization — an important step in the team’s search.
Rumors about the Lakers’ personnel plans have swirled around the league over the past two weeks, with some names mentioned most frequently, including former head coach Scott Brooks and assistants Sam Cassell and Jared Dudley. Cassell discussed the Lakers’ head coaching position during a video call with Pelinka prior to this week, according to a person with knowledge of the conversation. Former Lakers guard Rajon Rondo is also being considered.
However, both Cassell and Dudley are employed by teams still in the playoffs – Boston and Dallas, respectively – and could be in line for promotion within their current organizations.
Former Lakers assistant coach Greg St. Jean, who worked for Jason Kidd two seasons ago in Dallas and last season with Frank Vogel in Phoenix, is another name often mentioned in personnel discussions.
Of course, headcount will largely depend on who the team ultimately decides to hire.
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Should the Lakers land Redick, an outcome some have expected since shortly after the Lakers fired Darvin Ham, Borrego would also be coveted as an assistant.
Borrego is known for his work on the offensive side of the ball, where he played a big role in New Orleans last season. He has a strong reputation for being smart and organized, but not closed off to the opinions of the players he works with.
The search has been led by Pelinka for much of the past month, with the Lakers general manager conducting private interviews ahead of this week’s in-person stage, which included executives from several of the departments, according to people with knowledge of the situation.
For Pelinka it is a crucial appointment, his third since the resignation of Magic Johnson late in the 2018-19 season. And while the team has won a championship under Vogel and played in a conference finals under Ham, the Lakers are once again spending the early days of their offseason on a coaching search.
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This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.
