J.J. Redick Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pacific Notes: Redick, Buss, Lakers, Warriors, I. Jones

August 23rd, 2024 at 2:54pm CST by Rory Maher

Appearing on the Petros and Money radio show on AM 570 Los Angeles, Lakers governor Jeanie Buss explained the team’s decision to hire J.J. Redick as its new head coach. While he was a longtime NBA sharpshooter, Redick lacks high-level coaching experience.

“We wanted to kind of think a different way,” Buss said, per HoopsHype. “Really, he’s got a vision. I’m not comfortable talking about the basketball stuff, but we were looking for a candidate that would bring something different and really invest in developing young players.

“J.J. is the right person for us. Again, I just want to work to really speak for itself, so I don’t want to hype it and say it’s gonna be a home run. We have to give him time to establish what he wants to establish.

“I’m really impressed with his staff. Right now, it’s not mandatory for the players to come in and practice but players are coming in and working out. The coaching staff with Nate McMillan and Scotty Brooks, there’s a lot of experience that will be there for him to make that adjustment to being a head coach. … He knows what this league is about and I think he’ll be a great leader.”

Here’s more from the Pacific:

The Lakers have hired Dr. Leroy Sims to be their new director of player performance and health, the team announced in a press release (Twitter link via Jovan Buha of The Athletic). Sims, who was most recently the NBA’s senior vice president, head of medical operations, was also Golden State’s medical director and team physician from 2011-14.
The Warriors will hold their training camp this fall in Hawaii instead of their home arena, the Chase Center, writes Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. As Poole explains, while holding the camp in Honolulu will be costly, the team views it as a necessary expense to “promote healthy bonding” amid major changes to the roster and coaching staff.
Theo Lawson of The Spokesman-Review details Isaac Jones‘ unusual NBA journey, which included playing for a junior college in Washington for multiple seasons before he received a Division I offer. Jones signed a two-way contract with the Kings after going undrafted out of Washington State in June. “I wasn’t supposed to be here, but kept my head down and grinded and now I’m here,” he said. “It can all change in like two days. It happened so fast, so don’t take anything for granted and just work hard.”

L.A. Notes: Bronny, Redick, Miller, A. Johnson

July 13th, 2024 at 10:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

After a rough start to his NBA career in Summer League play, Lakers guard Bronny James may begin the upcoming season in the G League, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. James was in the spotlight on Friday during his first game in Las Vegas, where a partisan Lakers crowd cheered every positive thing he did. However, the shooting woes he experienced during the California Classic continued, as he was held to eight points while going 3-of-14 from the field and missing all eight of his three-point attempts.

“I’m just looking forward to any basketball I play, no matter what level I’m playing at,” James responded when asked about the possibility of playing in the G League.

McMenamin notes that James’ agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, seemed opposed to a G League assignment when he warned teams not to draft his client if they planned to offer a two-way contract. James received a standard four-year deal from L.A., but he may need time to develop his game before being ready for the NBA.

Summer League coach Dane Johnson, who also guides the South Bay Lakers, indicated that no discussions have taken place about where James will start the season.

“I don’t know about that yet, so I can’t really comment on that,” Johnson told reporters. “But I think all these guys are going to be in the G League at some point — the draftees.”

There’s more on the two L.A. teams:

J.J. Redick joined his former ESPN broadcast partners during Friday’s game to explain why he decided to become the Lakers‘ head coach, relays Jacob Rude of Silver Screen and Roll. Redick said he felt a “calling to coach” and he wanted to test himself in a “high stakes, high pressure” environment. “The other part of it is,” Redick added, “in my retirement, I realized what gives me fulfillment and what gives me drive and motivation and that’s competition, that’s performance, that’s collaboration, being part of a team … the other parts of that are leadership and service. I said this in my press conference, like a big driving factor in this for me is I just want to help people. I want to help players. I want to help coaches. I want to empower people. I, obviously, want to help this Lakers organization get back to the top.”
After scoring 36 points Friday night, Jordan Miller said his goal is to earn a standard contract with the Clippers, per Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link). The 24-year-old wing played on a two-way deal last season and earned All-Rookie honors in the G League.
Long-time NBA player Amir Johnson is working with the Clippers this summer to help develop the team’s prospects, Murray tweets.

Lakers Notes: Bronny, Knecht, LeBron, Redick, St. Jean

July 7th, 2024 at 12:01pm CST by Rory Maher

Bronny James had an uneven debut with the Lakers on Saturday at the California Classic summer league, writes Anthony De Leon of The Los Angeles Times. The 55th overall pick of last month’s draft, James finished with four points (on 2-of-9 shooting), two assists, two rebounds and a steal in 22 minutes.

“Overall [I need to] just be aggressive, believe in myself and know that I can make plays for myself and my teammates,” James said. “Playing my game on the defensive end, especially because I believe I know how to play.”

“He’s going to play — granted, if he’s healthy — throughout this whole thing,” summer league coach Dane Johnson said, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “We’re going to try to integrate him and try to get him as many reps as we can. Because he needs more experience playing. And especially the NBA game. It’s a little different than college, so getting reps in the NBA, in an NBA setting with good players will help him in the long run.”

First-rounder Dalton Knecht also showed signs of rust, De Leon notes, putting up 12 points, four assists, two rebounds and two steals, but going just 3-of-12 from the floor in 26 minutes. The Lakers lost to the Kings by 14 points.

Here’s more on the Lakers:

ESPN insiders McMenamin, Kendra Andrews and Baxter Holmes provide their takeaways from Bronny’s debut.
LeBron James was ecstatic that the Lakers drafted his son Bronny, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN. “For me to see my son to be able to, you know, be in the NBA alone. I mean, it’s always been a dream of his and for us to be side by side … there’s a loss of words, to be honest,” LeBron said after his first practice with Team USA ahead of the Paris Olympics.”I mean, the kid has worked so hard to get back to this point. There’s just so much that’s happened over the last year with him to have this happen less than a year from his incident to be with our friends and our family. When they announced his name, it was something that was super surreal, and it’s kind of still, our family still don’t even have enough words to explain the feeling that we had.” Both LeBron and Anthony Davis — another member of Team USA — were optimistic about the hiring of J.J. Redick as head coach, Bontemps adds.
Replacing Darvin Ham with Redick has been the Lakers’ biggest offseason move to this point. Will a new coach be enough to improve a team with a roster that’s mostly the same as 2023/24? Mirjam Swanson of The Southern California News Group explores that topic.
The Lakers are hiring Greg St. Jean as an assistant coach on Redick’s staff, sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). St. Jean, who was an assistant in L.A. when the Lakers won the title in 2020, has worked for Dallas and Phoenix in recent seasons, Scotto notes.

Lakers To Hire Nate McMillan, Scott Brooks As Assistant Coaches

July 3rd, 2024 at 10:26am CST by Rory Maher

The Lakers plan to hire a couple of veteran head coaches to be the top assistants on J.J. Redick‘s staff, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that Nate McMillan and Scott Brooks are joining the team.

McMillan and Brooks are the first assistants confirmed to be joining Redick’s staff. The Lakers had been looking for experienced coaches as former NBA sharpshooter Redick is a first-time head coach. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin recently reported (via Twitter) that Dwane Casey, another longtime coach who is currently in a front office role with Detroit, withdrew from consideration for an assistant job with L.A., as he “did not want to uproot his family at this time.”

One of the NBA’s top perimeter defenders during his 12-year playing career with the Sonics, McMillan transitioned to coaching after he retired from playing, including multi-season head coaching stints with Seattle, Portland, Indiana and Atlanta. The 59-year-old holds a career regular season record of 760-668 (.532 win percentage) and 28-48 record in the postseason (.368%). McMillan took a year off to reportedly spend time with family after he was fired by the Hawks in 2023.

Brooks is another former NBA player turned coach, spending 10 years in the league as a backup point guard from 1988-98. He was the lead coach of the Thunder for seven seasons and the Wizards for five, compiling a 521-414 regular season record (.557%) and 49-48 mark (.505%) in the postseason. The 58-year-old has been an assistant with Portland the past three seasons.

Rajon Rondo, Sam Cassell, Jared Dudley, and Jacque Vaughn are among the other names that have been floated as possible candidates for Redick’s staff, though Cassell (Boston) and Dudley (Dallas) may not be available.

L.A. Notes: Bridges, George, Tucker, Gentry, Thompson, Bronny James, Hood-Schifino

July 2nd, 2024 at 8:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Clippers have some interest in free agent forward Miles Bridges, Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times reports. Bridges averaged 21.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists last season for the Hornets but his history of domestic violence allegations may have turned off some potential suitors. A sign-and trade would likely be required for the Clippers, with Norman Powell ($19.2MM) and Terance Mann ($11.5MM) among the potential trade pieces if something comes to fruition, Turner writes.

Law Murray of The Athletic confirms that the Clippers are exploring the possibility of adding Bridges, but he believes that the forward has more interest in the potential union than the team does. According to Turner, people close to Bridges view the Clippers as a fit due to the organization’s apparent willingness to give players second chances.

Los Angeles reached a deal earlier in free agency with guard Kevin Porter Jr., who also faced domestic violence allegations, and previously signed Joshua Primo, who was waived by the Spurs after he was accused of exposing himself to multiple women.

We have more on the Los Angeles teams:

An interesting side note on the failed Clippers-George negotiations, which led to his departure to Philadelphia: George, a California native, was “increasingly turned off” by the Clippers’ belief that he would stay with the team just so that his family could attend the games, according to The Athletic’s Murray.
In the same story, Murray reports that the Clippers are expected to part ways with P.J. Tucker this offseason, either by trading or waiving him. Tucker picked up his $11.54MM option for next season. Using the stretch provision to reduce his impact on the 2024/25 cap would be an option if he’s waived, Murray notes.
The Lakers are interested in adding longtime NBA coach Alvin Gentry to J.J. Redick’s staff, Turner of the Los Angeles Times tweets. Gentry coached Anthony Davis and Redick in New Orleans.
Klay Thompson upset a member of his family by choosing to go the Mavericks instead of the Lakers, ESPN relays. Father Mychal Thompson, who played for the “Showtime Lakers” in the 1980s, wanted Klay to follow in his footsteps, he said in a SiriusXM NBA interview. “I’m really disappointed. I was hoping, as you can assess, that he would be a Laker,” Mychal said. “And it was close. It came down to the Lakers and the Mavs, but the Mavs won out. But you know me, I was hoping and praying he’d finish his career with the Lakers.”
There are many skeptics, but Redick said second-round pick Bronny James “earned” his way onto the Lakers, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “Rob (Pelinka) and I did not give Bronny anything,” Redick said. “Bronny has earned this. … Bronny has earned this through hard work.” LeBron James‘ son said he’s ready for the spotlight. “For sure, amplified amount of pressure,” Bronny said. “I’ve already seen it on social media and stuff, and the internet and stuff and talking about that I might not deserve an opportunity. But I’ve been dealing with st life. So it’s nothing different, but it’s more amplified, for sure. But I’ll get through it.” Bronny will sign a standard contract.
Lakers 2023 first-rounder Jalen Hood-Schifino won’t be on the club’s Summer League roster, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times tweets. He’s still rehabbing from back surgery.

Lakers Notes: Redick, LeBron, Davis, Murray, Reaves

June 25th, 2024 at 2:41pm CST by Luke Adams

Speaking on Monday to reporters, including Dave McMenamin of ESPN, J.J. Redick made it clear that he wasn’t offended by the fact that the Lakers publicly pursued UConn’s Dan Hurley before circling back to him, joking that, as a “two-time 55 Swish League champion in the third- and fourth-grade division,” he can’t match coaching résumés with a two-time national champion.

Lakers head of basketball operations Rob Pelinka, who said Redick was always alongside Hurley in the team’s “Plan A pool” of candidates, defended the decision to hire a first-time coach by pointing out that head coaching experience and NBA experience “aren’t mutually exclusive things,” as McMenamin relays. Redick, of course, played in the league for 15 years before transitioning into a media role.

“I think in industry in general and in sports in specific, sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in patterns of being in a sea of sameness and doing the same thing that everybody else is doing,” Pelinka said. “But when we embarked on this search, it was really important for us to see if we could do something a little bit different. And quickly in our conversations with J.J., it was very evident that he had a unique perspective and philosophy on basketball and how it’s to be taught.”

Pelinka told reporters that Lakers star LeBron James – Redick’s co-host on the ‘Mind The Game’ podcast, which will no longer record new episodes – was “supportive” of the club’s head coaching search but wasn’t involved in the process at all. Redick said he didn’t talk to James about the position until last Thursday, after he’d been offered the job.

Anthony Davis, on the other hand, “chose to be very involved,” according to Pelinka, who referred to the star big man as “very excited” about the hiring of Redick. The new head coach has some ideas for new ways to use Davis, as he said during his introductory press conference.

“One of the things I brought up with him is just the idea of him as a hub (on offense),” Redick said. “There’s a bunch of guys at the five position in the NBA that sort of operate in that way. I don’t know that he’s been used in that way and sort of maximized all of his abilities.”

In addition to factoring into the Lakers’ head coaching search, Davis’ opinion appeared to carry weight in the decision to part ways with Darvin Ham in the spring. According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, league sources believe that concerns about how Davis viewed Ham were something the Lakers weighed when they opted to make a change.

Here’s more on the Lakers:

Redick identified offensive rebounding, three-point attempts, turnovers, and defensive schematics as areas he wants to improve during his first season on the Lakers’ bench, writes Jovan Buha of The Athletic. According to Buha, Redick and Pelinka both talked up “player development,” pointing to the need to identify and grow young talent due to the restrictions in the new CBA. They’re already coming up with ideas for how to connect with the younger players on the roster. “J.J. and I have had some really robust conversations around innovation and sort of even gamifying player development,” Pelinka said. “We’ve talked about how do we translate coach Redick’s offensive system to app-based or a phone-based deliverable where players can be buying into a philosophy and learning it in a way that meets today’s young player. And I think innovation has got to be at the core of that.”
While Pelinka alluded to the restrictive CBA and stressed the importance of player development, Amick hears from league sources that if James and Davis have their way, the Lakers would do all they can to acquire another impact player this offseason. Amick adds that James isn’t content simply “coasting” through his final NBA seasons and still “desperately” wants to compete for championships.
Although there’s a widespread belief that James will stick with the Lakers this offseason, he has yet to give the front office any indication of his plans, Amick reports, adding that the four-time MVP appears open to playing two or even three more seasons.
According to Amick, the Lakers could have had Dejounte Murray from the Hawks in February if they’d been willing to add Austin Reaves to their package — that could be an option again this summer, Amick says, but L.A. continues to resist the idea of parting with Reaves in a deal for Murray.

Fischer’s Latest: Redick, Lakers, Valanciunas, Knicks, Jazz, Rockets, Bridges

June 24th, 2024 at 8:52pm CST by Dana Gauruder

J.J. Redick was just introduced as the Lakers head coach in a formal press conference on Monday, but he has already talked to members of the current roster about how he plans to maximize their personnel offensively, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reports.

Redick is going to put a premium on positional versatility, three-point shooting, and play-making, and has discussed specific roles with the players. He’ll also utilize lineups that can optimize LeBron James — his former podcast partner — off the ball.

League insiders continue to push the notion that the Lakers will look to upgrade the center position so that Anthony Davis can spend more time at power forward, Fischer writes. Baylor freshman Yves Missi and Indiana sophomore Ke’lel Ware are two possibilities they’ll look at with the No. 17 pick. However, they might be willing to move down the first round.

The Knicks and Jazz are each willing to trade their latter first-round pick and second-round draft capital to move up into the teens of this draft, Fischer hears. Utah owns the No. 29 and 32 picks and the Lakers might consider drafting Bronny James at one of those spots, rather than hoping LeBron’s son is still available with their second-rounder at No. 55.

Here’s more intel from Fischer:

Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas could be a free agent target for the Lakers if they decide to get veteran help at that spot. Hawks guard Dejounte Murray and Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant remain potential trade targets.
As previously reported, the Rockets are expected to pick up their $7.56MM option on Jae’Sean Tate and guarantee the salaries of Jeff Green and Jock Landale at $8MM apiece. That doesn’t mean they will remain on the roster. Houston could use those contracts as trade pieces. The Rockets are open for business on the No. 3 overall pick as they’re looking for win-now upgrades.
Numerous teams continue to check on the availability of Nets forward Mikal Bridges, including the Rockets, Knicks and Jazz. Utah could be well-positioned to make a significant move. It can dangle some significant contracts — John Collins ($26.5MM) and Jordan Clarkson ($14MM) — along with its 2024 draft capital (No. 10, 29, 32) and future picks from the Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell trades. The Jazz also have substantial cap room to absorb salary.
Along with the Knicks and Jazz, the Suns, Timberwolves and Celtics are among the teams with late first-rounders entertaining trade possibilities that could move them up or down in the draft.

Lakers Hire J.J. Redick As Head Coach

June 24th, 2024 at 2:52pm CST by Rory Maher

JUNE 24: The Lakers have issued a press release officially confirming that they’ve hired Redick as their head coach.

“J.J. is a fierce competitor and has an extraordinary basketball IQ and understanding of the modern game that will energize players and excite fans,” Pelinka said as part of a larger statement. “His rigorous analysis will immediately unlock new opportunities for our roster while setting a foundation for player development over the long term. He brings an intense dedication to innovation, advancing the game, and staying at the forefront of an ever-evolving league.

“Beyond his basketball acumen, J.J. has a care for people and genuine empathy that are critical for connecting with players today. This is an exciting time for Lakers basketball.””

JUNE 20: The Lakers are hiring J.J. Redick to be their new head coach, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports that Redick will receive a four-year deal.

According to Woj, head of basketball operations Rob Pelinka believes in Redick’s “basketball IQ” and his “ability to connect with players.” Pelinka also thinks surrounding Redick with an experienced staff “will help to shorten the learning curve” for the first-time head coach. Redick has already begun to assemble a staff, Woj adds.

Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times confirms that Redick has made a verbal commitment to the Lakers (Twitter link). Redick will receive about $8MM per season on his four-year contract, sources tell Shams Charania, Sam Amick and Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

Multiple league sources tell Brian Robb of MassLive.com that Celtics assistant coach Sam Cassell is a name to watch for an assistant job on Redick’s staff, which echoes a previous report from Marc Stein. Cassell was among the candidates who interviewed for the Lakers’ job.

A former NBA sharpshooter who played 15 seasons in the league from 2006-2021, Redick has connections to the Los Angeles area, having played four seasons for the Clippers. The ESPN analyst also co-hosts a podcast with LeBron James. While James reportedly took a hands-off approach in the search, Redick’s preexisting relationship with the superstar forward surely didn’t hurt his candidacy.

Redick, who turns 40 years old next week, was long viewed as the frontrunner for the Lakers’ head coaching job after they fired Darvin Ham last month following a first-round playoff exit. However, Redick didn’t formally interview for the position until last weekend and wasn’t offered the job until this morning, per Wojnarowski.

Wojnarowski previously reported that the Lakers offered a six-year, $70MM contract to UConn’s Dan Hurley, who has won back-to-back NCAA titles with the Huskies. Hurley ultimately declined the offer and is reportedly nearing a long-term deal to stay in Storrs.

Pelicans associate head coach James Borrego was viewed as the other main candidate in the Lakers’ search. Borrego is reportedly a finalist in the Cavs’ coaching search, with recent reports pegging him as the frontrunner for the job.

As our tracker shows, several other names emerged in the Lakers’ search, but it’s unclear how seriously some of them were considered.

Now that the team’s coaching search is over, the Lakers will turn to the draft, trade market and free agency to improve their roster entering 2024/25. Their most noteworthy potential free agent is James, who holds a $51.4MM player option for next season.

Pacific Notes: Redick, Van Gundy, Reaves, Suns, Fois

June 22nd, 2024 at 9:38pm CST by Arthur Hill

Building an experienced team of assistants will be vital for new Lakers head coach J.J. Redick, writes Khobi Price of The Orange County Register, who suggests Stan Van Gundy as a potential addition. Van Gundy hasn’t been mentioned in early rumors regarding Redick’s staff, but Price points out that he had extensive head coaching experience with Miami, Orlando, Detroit and New Orleans before becoming a TNT broadcaster, and Redick spent several seasons playing for him.

Price notes that since news of Redick’s hiring broke on Thursday, Scott Brooks, Sam Cassell and Jared Dudley have been the most prominent names mentioned as possible assistants. However, the Celtics want to retain Cassell and the Mavericks would prefer to keep Dudley, so they may be out of the Lakers’ reach.

Van Gundy spoke to Mike Bianchi of The Orlando Sentinel about Redick’s ascension to the head coaching ranks, saying it’s consistent with the way he always prepared.

“He took a cerebral, analytical approach to the game even as a player,” Van Gundy said. “He knew the game inside and out because he had to. He wasn’t an overly big athletic guy, so he really had to know the game and apply himself. It was clear how much he knew about the game just by listening to him talk. I didn’t know it, but even back in his playing days maybe he was preparing himself to be a head coach someday.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Austin Reaves is excited about the changes Redick will bring to the Lakers (video link from Cierra Clark of THV11 in Little Rock, Arkansas). “I’ve gotten to know J.J. a little bit, going on his podcast during the middle of the year,” Reaves said. “He’s a basketball genius, I think as everybody knows. I think he’s going to make a good coach, and I can’t wait to get to work with him. … I can’t wait to put our brains together and go have a good year.”
Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports cites Providence guard Devin Carter, Colorado forward Cody Williams and G League Ignite wing Ron Holland as potential targets for the Suns if they try to trade up from the 22nd pick in Wednesday’s draft. Bourguet sees Carter as potentially the best defensive point guard in the draft, possessing an NBA-ready game with lots of upside. If Phoenix decides to move down, Bourguet views Swedish forward Bobi Klintman, Baylor wing Jalen Bridges, UC Santa Barbara guard Ajay Mitchell and Virginia guard Ryan Dunn as possibilities.
Riccardo Fois will become an assistant to Kings head coach Mike Brown next season, tweets Alessandro Luigi Maggi of Sportando. Fois has been an assistant coach with the University of Arizona since 2021.

LeBron James Reportedly Expected To Decline Player Option

June 21st, 2024 at 12:03pm CST by Rory Maher

Lakers superstar forward LeBron James is expected to decline his $51.4MM player option for 2024/25 to become an unrestricted free agent, according to Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. The four-time MVP faces a June 29 deadline to finalize that decision.

Woike’s report isn’t surprising. Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, James’ agent, referred to his longtime friend and client as an impending free agent during a TNT Sports altcast at the end of last month before attempting to walk back the comment. Opting out would give James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, the opportunity to negotiate a full no-trade clause if he re-signs with with the Lakers. A return to L.A. is widely viewed as the likely outcome.

Due to the Over-38 rule, James will be limited to a three-year contract, though the 39-year-old is reportedly may not be looking to play for more than a couple more seasons.

In his 21st season in ’23/24, James averaged 25.7 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 8.3 APG and 1.3 SPG on .540/.410/.750 shooting across 71 regular season contests (35.3 MPG). He averaged 27.8 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 8.8 APG, 2.4 SPG and 1.0 BPG on .566/.385/.739 shooting in the Lakers’ first-round playoff loss to Denver.

James extended his own NBA record last season by making his 20th All-NBA team, all of which have come consecutively. Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Tim Duncan are all tied in second place with 15 total nods each. James also made his 20th straight All-Star appearance in ’23/24.

Woike’s story is largely focused on the Lakers’ decision to hire J.J. Redick as their new head coach. Woike confirms the Lakers were genuinely interested and optimistic about their pursuit of UConn’s Dan Hurley, who ultimately spurned L.A. to stay with the Huskies. According to Woike, one person in a “prominent” role with the Lakers said they had “never been more shocked” in their life when they learned of the team’s secretive pursuit of Hurley.