The Los Angeles Lakers may have missed out on their championship aspirations. But, their head coaching search keeps them in the headlines almost daily. A report from Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports recently revealed that James Borrego has emerged as a leading candidate for the Lakers’ head coaching position.

“Borrego has also been categorized by league personnel as a leading candidate for the Lakers’ head coaching job, although Los Angeles’ search has been muddied by an unsuccessful pursuit of UConn head coach Dan Hurley. Borrego has been credited with boosting New Orleans’ offensive approach during this past season while aiding Willie Green’s staff,” Fischer reported.

James Borrego’s candidacy appears strong, especially since he is the only known candidate to have completed two interviews with the Lakers. His recent success in enhancing the New Orleans Pelicans’ offensive strategy as their associate head coach has garnered him significant attention.

Initially, former NBA player J.J. Redick was considered the frontrunner for the position. However, the direction of the search shifted dramatically last week when it was revealed that the Lakers were also pursuing UConn head coach Dan Hurley. Despite their best efforts, Hurley ultimately decided to remain with UConn, leaving the Lakers to refocus their attention.

NBA Insider Critiques Lakers’ Prolonged Decision-Making on James Borrego

The Los Angeles Lakers‘ head coaching search has been a roller coaster. Meanwhile, recent comments from NBA insider Shams Charania on “The Pat McAfee Show” highlight the ongoing uncertainty. Charania pointed out that the Lakers have had ample time to determine if James Borrego is their top choice.

“If the Lakers want to go hire James Borrego, they’ve had a month to hire James Borrego. They’ve had this week, after losing out on Dan Hurley, I guess, they’ve had this time to go get James Borrego,” Charania said.

The Lakers’ hesitance to finalize their coaching decision could be seen as a missed opportunity. They must come up with a decision after the NBA finals between the Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics.