In the midst of a disappointing 2018-19 NBA season, speculation has continued to grow that the Los Angeles Lakers will look to part ways with head coach Luke Walton.
Many names have already been linked to the Lakers as a possible replacement including Juwan Howard, who is considered the current betting favorite to assume the position.
With Walton’s future up in the air, many players and head coaches from around the league have extended him their support. Kobe Bryant praised the team’s head coach, citing injuries as the main contributor to their disappointing season.
Another player that has come to Walton’s defense is Stephen Curry, who deemed any team would be lucky to have him leading the charge, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN:
“All the injuries they had and expectations coming in with obviously LeBron James joining your team, it goes through the roof,” Curry said of the Lakers’ disappointing season. “But everything is a process. This league is tough, man. It’s hard to win basketball games no matter who you have on your team. I think that the way he’s kept his presence on the sidelines, from watching games and watching his body language on the side, the way that they might not be winning games right now, but the team is playing hard. … I’m sure they appreciate his consistency.
“Honestly wish the best for him in terms of the future because who knows what will happen,” Curry added. “But he’s a great coach. Anybody would be lucky to have him leading the team.”
Curry has firsthand experience playing under Walton, who served as the Warriors assistant head coach from the 2014-16 seasons. It was the 2015-16 season in which Walton received his first major coaching opportunity, filling in for head coach Steve Kerr who was recovering from a back injury.
Walton led the Warriors to a stunning 39-4 record in Kerr’s absence, earning NBA Western Conference Coach of the Month honors for parts of October and November of that season.
