JJ Redick is a legit candidate for the Lakers head -- despite never having spent a minute on the bench -- and Byron Scott isn't sold on the idea quite yet!
The 3x NBA champ and former longtime NBA head coach talked to TMZ Sports this week about Redick -- a 15 seasons NBA vet -- and the prospects of him landing one of the most coveted jobs in all of sports ... L.A. Lakers head coach.
"It's hard jumping in that seat as a first-time head coach," Scott said.
"I don't know if he has what it takes to be a great head coach in the NBA but again if he gets that opportunity, we'll find out real soon."
Scott even brings up the failed Steve Nash hiring in Brooklyn ... where the former NBA MVP, despite having Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, couldn't win consistently.
He got the boot three seasons after he was hired.
"[Nash] never had any coaching experience and it didn't really work out well in Brooklyn for him," Scott said.
Scott does have a few candidates in mind ... Sam Cassell, who has been an NBA assistant coach since 2009, and Mark Jackson, who coached Steph Curry and the Golden Warriors before Steve Kerr.
Scott even offered his services ... remember, he coached the Nets, Hornets, Cavs, and Lakers after retiring from the league as a player.
He also won Coach of the Year in 2008.
Stay tuned for the open coaching spot in L.A.