What are Lakers paying old coaches? And new options to replace Byron?

I am getting excited about Lakers basketball again. The biggest impediment is gone and Mitch has some flexibility going into this summer.

 

Any good head coach has to adapt to who is on his roster. To not be able to find a way to use Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol is inexcusable. To let Kobe run the show like he did is also unacceptable.

 

That's not a bad candidate pool at all. I agree with a lot of you. I feel so much better about the team's future already.

 

http://www.lakersnation.com/byron-s...in-championship-during-his-tenure/2014/11/14/

:Mitchthumb:

 

Here's a really long ready about Messina.

https://www.reddit.com/r/lakers/comments/4gfor0/ettore_messina_coaching_profile/

 

We had Messina. He couldn't implement his innovative offense here with a veteran team citing the speed of the NBA. Maybe if he has total control? But with these young players I don't know if it would be any different the second time around.

 

I think this team would be easier for Messina to work with given its youth and the fact that they've never really run a system. I do see that point though.

 

Honestly, after some reading and sleeping on it, its Ollie or Luke for me. I'm probably leaning Ollie since I think he can both develop our young guys and attract free agents do to his reputation. I also think it would be a clear sign that the organization is really committed to making the changes we need to be a contender again.

 

I guess I am scared that Luke got his record more based on that fantastic roster Golden State has. While I would like the coach to be someone from the Lakers past because it is "fun," we just did that with Byron and it turned out horribly. I like the selling point of Kevin Ollie with Kevin Durant because I want that move to happen. LA needs star power and KD will provide that. However, I actually feel like the right move is Ettore Messina. Very successful overseas, had a stint the with Lakers so his familiar with the organization, and he has been under Popovich. Didn't Messina fill in for Pop as well against Indiana and Minnesota? The Spurs won those two games by margins of 106-92 and 108-83 respectively.

 

I want a college coach. Be like the C Bags and give a wily tactician like Wright a chance.

 

Jim Buss is 'partial' to Luke Walton as the next Lakers head coach
By Harrison Faigen  @hmfaigen on Apr 25, 2016, 5:07p 51


Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Will Luke return to the Los Angeles?

 TWEET SHARE (531) PIN
The Los Angeles Lakers front office has officially begun their search for the team's next head coach. After parting ways with former head coach Byron Scott on Sunday night, the team has started compiling a 'long list' of candidates that reportedly includes names like Jeff Van Gundy, Ettore Messina, Kevin Ollie, and Luke Walton.

The last name on that list may prove to be significant. Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report wrote about the aftermath of Scott's firing, and he reports that while Lakers vice president of basketball operations Jim Buss "wants to explore options" as the Lakers conduct a coaching search that Mitch Kupchak says the team doesn't want to "drag out," Buss is also "partial to Walton-- €”and is among the countless folks the amiable Walton has made feel comfortable over the years and closer to him than he really is."


Buss is not alone in being partial to Walton. Many are enamored with the Warriorsassistant who stepped in as interim head coach while Steve Kerr recovered from surgical complications and led the defending champions to a 40-4 start. According to Chris Broussard of ESPN, there are even those around the league who believe that Walton taking over the Lakers following Golden State's playoff run is a done deal (transcription of Broussard's comments on Thompson and Trudell via Lakers Outsiders):

"I talked to several people last night who said, ‘[Los Angeles] must know they can get Luke Walton. They must have something in place with Luke Walton.'"

While Broussard's reports should usually be taken with a grain of salt, there is enough smoke here to believe there might be fire. Walton is certainly one of the top candidates available following his success with the Warriors and many other reasons that Ding writes in his report.

Whether the Lakers agree remains to be seen, but now that the coaching search the team hopes to have wrapped up before the beginning of free agency is underway, so expect to hear a lot more reports similar to this one as the offseason continues.

You can follow this author on Twitter at @hmfaigen.


http://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2016/4/25/11505906/la-lakers-coaching-rumors-luke-walton