The speculation continues to swirl about the immediate future of head coach Mike D’Antoni. The fans are livid about the result of this season and want change immediately, but D’Antoni has one more year guaranteed in his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Once the exit meetings came to a close last week, GM Mitch Kupchak let it be known that D’Antoni has two more years left on his deal (last year team option). Kupchak said he and Jim Buss will take some time off and will talk about D’Antoni’s future in a few weeks.
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Apparently, D’Antoni’s future may not be as uncertain as once thought. A report surfaced on Tuesday night about Marshall University moving on in their search for a head coach because D’Antoni is remaining with the Lakers according to the Charleston Daily Mail:
Sources told the Charleston Daily Mail on Tuesday afternoon that D’Antoni will remain the head coach of the Lakers and, thus, will not be in position to accept the vacant Herd hoops job.
D’Antoni is staying put. Hamrick is moving on.
After the season mercifully came to an end for the Lakers, the consensus was that few could do a better job than D’Antoni given the circumstances. The Lakers were ripped apart by injuries over the last two years with this season being worse than the last.
Along with dealing with nonstop criticism for enforcing his style of play, D’Antoni had to deal with losing Dwight Howard in free agency, Steve Nash playing in only a handful of games and Kobe Bryant suffering another season-ending injury only six games after returning from a torn Achilles tendon.
Although the fans have not been fond of D’Antoni ever since he was hired over Phil Jackson last season, the Lakers brass may have been sympathetic and willing to let him return for at least one more season. Nothing is confirmed as of yet, but signs appear to be pointing to D’Antoni returning.
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