by Lakers4Life » Mon Apr 25, 2016 12:25 am
11 candidates who would make sense as the Lakers' next head coach
By Matt Moore / NBA writer
April 25, 2016 01:32 AM ET
Lakers fire coach Byron Scott: Four things to know
The Los Angeles Lakers are once again in the market for a head coach. A franchise known for its stability and continued excellence has suffered through an absence of both over the past four years. Mike Brown, Mike D'Antoni and now Byron Scott, all gone in less than two full years. The decision for the Lakers to not retain Scott as coach is hard to argue with after the two worst seasons in franchise history and the clashes with the younger core going forward.
What they do next is a much trickier question.
The Lakers are getting into the coach-getting business a bit late, with Tom Thibodeau and Scott Brooks both off the market. So where do they go from here? Here's a look at the most commonly rumored candidates.
1. Luke Walton, Warriors assistant coach: Walton checks all the boxes. Former Lakers player, so he's part of the "family" that they value so much. Comes in with credit as the assistant of the Warriors, so he's got a coaching title. Coached the team during their historic 24-game winning streak. Former player, so he can relate to them, younger so he can better get along with the kids on the Lakers roster while bringing youth and enthusiasm. Oh, and he's a disciple of Phil Jackson, who is rumored to possibly return to the team in a year. Walton is a no brainer, if they can convince him to take the leap.
2. Ettore Messina, San Antonio Spurs assistant coach: The Lakers' timing of letting Scott go raised an eyebrow as most point to the Warriors being up 3-1 with Walton to be available for an interview soon. However, someone who's available now is Messina, who comes in with a wealth of international experience and what is considered a brilliant basketball mind. Think of him like David Blatt, only with a better resume and none of the attitude.
Messina would be a home run choice for the Lakers, someone who can remake the team's internal culture and help make the youngsters better. His name brand value may not be high enough, however.
3. Jeff Van Gundy: Van Gundy often was involved in spats with Phil Jackson when both were coaching so you wonder about that as a fit. You also wonder if JVG's high-strung style would vibe with the L.A. lifestyle. Van Gundy is going to want to coach things his way, and the Lakers have a substantial amount of institutional memory in place. However, he's a smart coach who can both develop players and help them win games. JVG is a brand-name selection that brings credibility and a resume of success. It just seems like a lot of headaches for a guy who's been happy to chill out in the media for more than a decade.
4. David Blatt: Blatt's former players still say positive things about him despite how things ended in Cleveland. He was never supposed to take over a super-team with the Cavs. Instead, he was supposed to help a young team take the next step. The Lakers present a similar situation. Blatt has the ego to sustain the scrutiny of being an L.A. coach and his offensive system, if implemented, could do wonders with the Lakers' young guards and Julius Randle. However, it might be a bit too complex for them as well. Also, the last time a coach tried to implement Princeton principles with the Lakers it was a nuclear disaster. (Mike Brown, 2012.)
5. Nancy Lieberman: A big-name splash that makes headlines as the first woman head coach in NBA history. Lieberman is a Hall of Famer, she comes with assistant coaching experience with the Kings and ran the Mavericks' D-League team as well. She's more than qualified. Would it be a move partially driven by her gender? To be sure. That would in no way exclude her from being the right choice if the Lakers decided to go that direction.
6. Mark Jackson: Jackson took a young and rough Golden State team and transformed it into a team that believed it could win. He's passionate and connects with players in a very real way. Jackson comes with a laundry list of issues, including paranoia, a temper and a limited strategic repertoire. But he wins games, is a former player and will instill discipline.
7. Vinny Del Negro: Don't laugh. Del Negro took young players forward in Chicago and Los Angeles with the Clippers. Eventually you have to replace him when you're ready to go forward in the postseason, but as far as being a guy to transition the team and lay a foundation? He's got a good track record.
8. Kevin Ollie: The Kevin Durant approach. Ollie is a longshot given his college gig at UConn, but he has been highly sought after in recent years and has a long-standing relationship with KD. It's a pretty big gamble with a fairly obvious one-sided pull in terms of creating a distraction around Durant's free agency, and if Durant does not join him in L.A., even if Ollie was the most credible choice, it'll be seen as a failed gambit.
9. Monty Williams: The former Pelicans coach may not be ready to return to the sideline after the unspeakable tragedy he suffered this year, but Williams helped get the Pelicans ready for prime time and earn them a playoff spot. He can coach veterans and young players and is an underrated tactician who is able to connect with his players.
10. Jay Wright: The Villanova coach just won a title, so he goes on this list. The connection makes very little sense and the job would be fraught with concerns for Wright in trying to make the leap.
11. Nate McMillan: The former Trail Blazers coach always had well-balanced teams and brought a toughness while also forming efficient offenses. He's a former player as well and while not the splashy hire you might expect, is kind of like the Byron Scott hire only, you know, not a complete and utter disaster.