Head coaches are being hired left and right in the NBA with Derek Fisher being the latest to be swooped up as a new leader on the sidelines for next season.
Now that Fisher is on the verge of being announced as the new head coach of the New York Knicks, all the focus on the head coaching front will be directed at the Los Angeles Lakers.
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Although the Lakers brass maintain they’re doing their due diligence in finding a new head coach, the team may be waiting it out in hopes of landing a big-name in free agency. If LeBron James opts out of his deal with the Miami Heat, the four-time NBA MVP will be that big-name with the Lakers eagerly waiting for a chance to give him their sales pitch, according to Sam Amick of USA Today:
The slow pace of the Lakers’ coaching search that began April 30 when Mike D’Antoni resigned has been timed deliberately with the upcoming free agency period in the NBA, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. Specifically, the idea that the Lakers could beat the odds and land the likes of the Heat’s LeBron James, the New York Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony or any of the other superstars who may be free agents on July 1 has led the Lakers to plod through their process so as to not limit their potential options. The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because of the private nature of the search.
Carmelo Anthony will also be a superstar potentially on the Lakers’ radar this summer, but if LeBron is a free agent and there for the taking, it’s safe to say they’ll do everything within their power to bring him to Los Angeles.
At this point in time, it is a stretch that the Lakers have a shot at LeBron or Anthony. Both players will want to play for contenders and might not be high on playing alongside Kobe Bryant.
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It’ll be interesting to see how this all pans out, especially if the Heat fall to the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals. A loss to San Antonio may have LeBron considering other options, but the consensus as of right now is that he’s not going anywhere.
As for Anthony, there’s a good chance he changes teams this summer with the Chicago Bulls and Houston Rockets potential suitors for the perennial All-Star. Both teams could make a run at Anthony with the prospect of the veteran being the missing piece to the championship puzzle.
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