Things are in full swing for the Los Angeles Lakers and their head coaching search as they have met with several candidates.
Previous head coaches like Mark Jackson and Terry Stotts recently interviewed with the Lakers brass, a sign they may be inclined to hire someone with more experience for the position. Los Angeles knows they need to build a younger roster, but it will revolve around LeBron James and Anthony Davis, which means a veteran coach could be a more viable option.
Aside from the bigger names on the market, the Lakers also requested interviews with Milwaukee Bucks assistant Darvin Ham and Toronto Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin. Both Ham and Griffin are considered to be next in line for head coaching gigs and it seems they have already spoken to Los Angeles decision makers about the job, according to Dan Woike of L.A. Times:
The Lakers interviewed former Portland Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts and former Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson in their search to replace Frank Vogel as head coach.
Assistants Darvin Ham (Milwaukee) and Adrian Griffin (Toronto) have also spoken with the Lakers about the job.
Both Ham and Griffin have similar cases to become L.A.’s next head coach as they are former players who have won championships as assistants with their current teams. The lack of head coaching experience may be a knock, but teams around the NBA have been more willing to give shots to worthy candidates and that has paid off for several franchises.
The Lakers’ methodical nature to their coaching search is sound, but it remains to be seen if Ham and Griffin are going to be seriously considered given the organization’s history of coaching hires. It is hard to imagine them taking a shot on a first-time head coach when so much is at stake during the 2022-23 season, but perhaps they kick old habits and surprise the league.
Lakers possibly holding out for Doc Rivers of Quin Snyder
The current list of names linked to the Lakers’ head coaching job is solid, but big fish like Doc Rivers and Quin Snyder loom large. With the Philadelphia 76ers struggling in the second round and the Utah Jazz already eliminated from playoff contention, both Rivers and Snyder could hit the market soon.
In fact, Los Angeles may be deliberately moving slowly in their search in the hopes one of them come loose. While it is unlikely Rivers of Snyder would come to Los Angeles, it may be worth a shot if the Lakers brass believes they have a legitimate chance at landing either.
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