It’s a bigger summer for the Lakers, and they have no plans to rush the process.
After firing Frank Vogel, the coaching vacancy in L.A. has become big news around the association, and it might take a while for the Purple and Gold to find a replacement.
And according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Lakers aren’t going through the normal routine in this summer’s coaching search.
(h/t Zach Stevens of Lakers Daily)
“They’re doing this search a little differently than other teams might,” said Wojnarowski on “NBA Countdown” on Friday. “Typically, teams will ask for permission on maybe up to a dozen candidates — a large number, start interviewing them one after another, do sometimes two or three in a day on Zoom, bring them in in person. The Lakers, what I’m told they’re gonna do, is essentially call for permission on a couple guys at a time, talk to those coaches, think about it and then move on to a next group of two, perhaps three.”
Finding the right coach for this Lakers team will be crucial to the future. At 37-years-old, it’s important that whoever gets hired is able to work with James and hold him accountable. It’s also key that they have the respect of Russell Westbrook, who clashed with Frank Vogel and his staff almost immediately.
Several names have already dropped, including Juwan Howard, Quin Snyder, and even Doc Rivers. Shaquille O’Neal also suggested that Mark Jackson should be considered a favorable candidate.
“Mark Jackson helped build Golden State before Steve Kerr took it to the next level,” Shaq said. “He made it a very sexy brand to watch, so I’m sure he can do that with LeBron [James] and Russ.” (h/t Reuters)
Whatever happens, and whoever they bring in, the Lakers better hope he’s the right guy. No matter how much the roster changes, having the right culture and game plan for this squad is a must.
So far, the front office seems aware of how important the process is, which is why they’re taking it slow and biding their time until they find their guy.
