While the Lakers’ roster was nearly completely overturned during the offseason, the team’s coaching staff had no changes.
It’s certainly not the norm to have no coaching turnover, but since head coach JJ Redick came in, the team hasn’t had to fill many openings on the coaching staff. However, it feels like a matter of when, not if, that changes.
One of the mainstays of Redick’s staff since he took over the Lakers has been Lindsey Harding. The pair formed a friendship at Duke, leading Redick to eventually
hire the former G League Coach of the Year as an assistant.
Harding has become an important piece of the coaching staff with the Lakers, which may lead to a head coaching job, though not in the NBA. With increasing frequency, Harding’s name has come up for potential head coach openings in the WNBA.
Last year, Harding was one of the top candidates for the Washington Mystics in their coaching search and also spoke with the New York Liberty. The Liberty ended up hiring Warriors assistant Chris DeMarco, and that went pretty terribly as they fired him after one season.
Now, while nothing has been sourced, Harding’s name is coming up again for the Liberty’s opening. Michael Voepel of ESPN mentioned Harding as a possibility.
Accordingly, one name could be Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Lindsey Harding, the former Duke star who was the WNBA’s No. 1 draft pick in 2007. She played nine seasons in the WNBA, then began her coaching career as a scout and development coach with the Philadelphia 76ers. She also had a stint with the Sacramento Kings before joining the Lakers. It would seem likely that the Liberty will at least gauge her interest.
At the same time, Annie Costabile of The Athletic had Harding as one of her many candidates for the opening.
The Liberty spoke to Harding during last year’s search. Selected No. 1 by the Mercury in 2007, Harding has WNBA experience and a lengthy coaching resume. She was named G League Coach of the Year in 2024 after leading the Stockton Kings to a 24-10 record. She’s served as an assistant on JJ Redick’s staff the past two seasons.
The Liberty aren’t the only team searching for a head coach. The hometown Sparks also have a coaching opening. They’re also hiring a general manager, so there have been very few rumors about potential coaches on that front. But it would certainly make sense for Harding to be on their shortlist as well.
For now, all of this is speculation. But the fact that her name is coming up repeatedly and that she interviewed for positions last year certainly makes it seem like it’s a real possibility the Lakers will have an opening to fill on the staff.
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