Sponsored by:
Specialising in Action, Team and Portrait Photography.
---
Advertising opportunities available.
Please contact me.
---
No rush to jump in the Lakers
TweetTHE time to put away the Mikes has come, the LA Lakers now preferring to stay “mum” for a while on their next coach.
With Mike D’Antoni today prematurely tossing in the towel, expect weeks of speculation and a host of candidates names to be trotted out by the Los Angeles media. But insiders say the search for a replacement is far from frantic.
D’Antoni had to go, following a previous bungle with Mike Brown at the helm of the NBA flagship franchise.
Brown was fired but D'Antoni walked after the Lakers refused to commit to him beyond next year after their worst season in more than 50 years, a 27-55 record previously more easily found at LA’s other NBA outfit, the Clippers.
The Clippers are sailing but the Lakers are far from sunk, GM Mitch Kupchak saying there is no deadline for the search which could even extend past the NBA draft lottery.
The Lakers remain one of the NBA’s premier coaching jobs and the new mentor will join on the ground floor of a rebuild and upward rise for the 16-time champion.
“It's one of the premier jobs, if not the premier job in the league,” former Lakers coach Mike Dunleavy said on his Sirius radio show.
“Obviously, the history and the amount of championships they've won, and the fact is you're in LA.
“They've shown a great ability to reload over the years pretty quickly, and obviously they've got Kobe Bryant still on their team.”
Dunleavy coached the Lakers to the NBA Finals in 1991 before moving on to Milwaukee, Portland and the Clippers.
“Clearly, if I had an opportunity to interview with them, I would definitely be interested,” he said.
“I had a great run there when I coached in the '90s. I interviewed the last time the job was open. They're just a great organisation.”
Already waving their hands – others just put their hand up – are former Lakers championship winning players Byron Scott and Kurt Rambis.
Both have had NBA head coaching stints and neither came away with his reputation intact.
Highly-respected NBA veteran and ESPN analyst George Karl and former Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins both possess the resumes to catch Bryant’s eye.
And let’s face it, even though Kobe turns 36 and had an injury-ravaged 2013-14 season, earning $48.5 million over the next two seasons ensures he stays LA’s primary focus.
He favors tough coaches with the cred and personality to succeed – guys such as former Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy, now an analyst and superstar apologist on television.
Top college names also have bobbed up across the ‘Net as speculation runs rampant – USA and Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, John Calipari and Kevin Ollie all featuring in dispatches.
And ESPN has reported the Lakers plan to ask the Chicago Bulls for permission to interview Tom Thibodeau, who has won 205 games over four seasons in Chicago.
Ettore Messina, the Italian ex-Lakers assistant coach currently running CSKA Moscow, also has been mentioned, along with former Bryant teammate and confidante Derek Fisher.
With the Lakers having just three players under contract for next season, along with a draft pick guaranteed to be in the top nine – you see now why Dante Exum’s name keeps being linked to getting inked by LA? – the new coach will have a clean slate for his rebuild.
The future does look uncertain but one thing is not. The Lakers will take as long as they want to get the next coach right as the club makes its first hire since owner Jim Buss inherited the reins from his late, great father, Jerry.
STILL in Los Angeles - actually, still at Staples Center - and Adam Silver showed a backbone even his great predecessor David Stern lacked by giving bigoted Clippers owner Donald Sterling the heave.
As a Clippers fan - yes, Billy Crystal isn't alone - that was such a decisive moment for the NBA that being overjoyed would have to be an understatement.
This was my take at News Corp:
