After winning a franchise-worst 17 games during the 2015-16 NBA season, the Los Angeles Lakers may make a change at head coach before next season. Byron Scott has a combined 38 wins in his two seasons as head coach of the Lakers with little support from the team’s enormous fan base and a questionable relationship with his players.
A potential replacement for Byron was the former head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Scott Brooks. Although a decision has yet to be made on Byron’s fate, Brooks was expected to be one of a few candidates the Lakers could show some interest in if the team decided to make a change.
As of Thursday, Brooks is officially unemployed no longer. The former Thunder coach has agreed to terms on a five-year deal with the Washington Wizards replacing Randy Wittman, but it appears Brooks may have been interested in the Lakers coaching job had it become available, via NBA.com’s David Aldridge:
Brooks was intrigued by Lakers gig, and Rockets wanted him, but Washington worked quickly 4 a deal before LA and/or Houston jobs opened.
— David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) April 21, 2016
Brooks agreeing to sign with the Wizards comes a day after the Minnesota Timberwolves found their new head coach and team president, Tom Thibodeau. The former Chicago Bulls head coach also was rumored to be interested in the potential head coaching vacancy in Los Angeles, but Thibodeau wasn’t willing to wait around with the Timberwolves ready to give him control of a talented young roster led by Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns.
With Brooks and Thibodeau now off the table, the attention will likely turn to Luke Walton and whether he will leave the Golden State Warriors for the opportunity to become a head coach. Walton is arguably at the top of the list of coaching candidates moving forward with ties to the Lakers organization.
Although the consensus seems to be that Walton will remain on Steve Kerr’s staff in the Bay Area, it isn’t beyond the realm of possibility that he at least considers the job in Los Angeles if the Lakers choose to part ways with Scott.
