After experiencing the worst loss in team history against the Los Angeles Clippers, general manager Mitch Kupchak met with Mike D’Antoni with many wondering if the Lakers would fire him.
While it looks more likely that D’Antoni will finish the season, there is still a possibility he won’t be around next season. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith spoke on his show, First Take, and said the Lakers could get rid of D’Antoni after the season:
I had a source tell me last night [that] Mike D’Antoni is gone at the end of the season. He won’t be there […] I’m just telling you, that’s the word coming out of L.A.
With the way the season has gone, the Lakers will consider this option in the off-season. The Lakers roster doesn’t fit in D’Antoni’s system, and at times, the effort hasn’t been there for the team, which is a direct reflection of the coach.
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This big prize of this off-season is Carmelo Anthony, and Smith believed that the possibility of bringing Anthony in, is a reason the team would get rid of D’Antoni:
It’s not coming from the Lakers themselves, but people close to the organization say that Mike D’Antoni is gone because there’s no way that [Carmelo Anthony] would elect to go there if D’Antoni is there. If D’Antoni is gone, with the cap room they have coming up and Kobe’s imminent return, [L.A.] is a viable option [for Anthony].
Although there is a strong possibility that the Lakers make no major moves this off-season, Anthony is the one to make if they decide to.
And with Anthony and D’Antoni not working out in New York, it makes sense that Anthony wouldn’t come here with him in charge.
H/T Lakerholicz.com
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