After Monty Williams agreed to a five-year deal to become the Phoenix Suns head coach, the Los Angeles Lakers shifted their focus to Tyronn Lue.
Prior to Williams essentially making the decision for them, Los Angeles reportedly was split on offering the job to one of them despite two interviews.
As the Lakers reportedly are ‘proceeding toward an offer’ to Lue and have ‘no plans’ to interview new candidates, it appears owner Jeanie Buss received some advice.
Former head coach Phil Jackson reportedly endorsed his former player to Buss, according to Brad Turner of Los Angeles Times:
Former Lakers great championship coach Phil Jackson also suggested to owner Jeanie Buss that Ty Lue would be a really good coach for the Lakers, per sources.
— Brad Turner (@BA_Turner) May 3, 2019
While Lue and Williams were considered the frontrunners, the former was always considered their top option, according to Turner:
Ty Lue is in Las Vegas and is waiting to hear from the Lakers about the job, per sources. His reps and the Lakers are supposed to talk today about trying to get a deal done. Lue has always been Lakers top choice, per source.
— Brad Turner (@BA_Turner) May 3, 2019
During this hiring process, there was a perception about Lue during his time as the Cleveland Cavaliers head coach with LeBron James. However, after interviewing four candidates, it appears the Lakers felt Lue was the best one — regardless of the circumstances.
With Lue and James set to reunite in Los Angeles, they need to properly construct a roster. While the goal remains adding a second All-Star player via free agency or trade, they also need three-point shooters and rim protectors for the 2019-20 NBA season.