As soon as former head coach Darvin Ham and his staff were let go, reports began to leak about which candidates the Los Angeles Lakers were targeting to replace him.
Veteran head coaches like Kenny Atkinson and Mike Budenholzer were brought up, as well as current L.A. Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue, who some speculated would part ways with the team after another disappointing playoff exit. However, the Lakers’ front office is casting a wide net this time around that also includes several lead assistant coaches around the league.
Los Angeles reportedly got permission to interview some of their candidates, including New Orleans assistant coach James Borrego. Borrego might have previous head coaching experience after his stint with the Charlotte Hornets, but is still considered a relatively young option in the hiring cycle.
Borrego first got his coaching start in the collegiate ranks at his alma mater the University of San Diego. He coached there from 2001 to 2003, earning a trip to the NCAA Tournament in the 2002-2003 season. Borrego then got his shot in the NBA with the San Antonio Spurs as an assistant video coordinator before being promoted to an assistant coach.
Borrego would go on to spend seven seasons with the Spurs, helping the team win titles in 2005 and 2007. He left in 2010 to join fellow San Antonio assistant coach Monty Williams, who was named the head coach of the then-New Orleans Hornets for two seasons.
After his tenure in New Orleans, Borrego went to the Orlando Magic to serve as an assistant under Jacque Vaughn for three seasons. The Magic eventually fired Vaughn midway through the 2014-15 season and Borrego was named the interim head coach for the rest of the year.
Borrego went on to return to the Spurs for a few seasons before finally getting his shot as a head coach with the Hornets. Borrego would serve as their head coach for four season before being fired. However, he eventually landed on his feet when he returned to New Orleans to work under head coach Willie Green.
Lakers candidate James Borrego’s strengths
A player’s coach, Borrego has a reputation for being able to relate to the locker room and sit with players through film sessions. He’s also got a knack for encouraging selfless basketball on the floor and playing at a faster pace.
Arguably his greatest strength though is his offense as every team he has been a part of has improved in that department, most recently the Pelicans this past season.
Lakers candidate James Borrego’s weaknesses
Borrego hasn’t been put in a position where he’s had to coach a team with win-now aspirations, so it remains to be seen how handles that sort of pressure, as well as the pressure of coaching superstars like LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
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