Phil Handy is one of the most respected assistant coaches in the league, well-known for winning championships with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Toronto Raptors, and the Los Angeles Lakers. He is currently part of the Los Angeles Lakers coaching staff.
It is clear that Phil Handy is someone that drives winning, and it seems as though the Los Angeles Lakers recognize that. Marc Spears of Andscape has recently reported that the Lakers signed Phil Handy to a contract extension, with him originally being on the last year of his coaching contract.
The Lakers signed assistant coach Phil Handy to contract extension last week, a source told @espn @andscape. Previously, Handy had one year left on his contract. pic.twitter.com/zDwjKSofZ3
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) July 26, 2022
The Lakers signed assistant coach Phil Handy to contract extension last week, a source told ESPN and Andscape. Previously, Handy had one year left on his contract.
There is no doubt that Phil Handy’s pedigree speaks for itself. The Lakers notably hired Darvin Ham to try to right the ship this offseason. With a new head coach, one can expect some turnover in the coaching staff, but it’s clear that it makes sense for the team to keep Phil Handy for the foreseeable future.
At the start of the 2020-21 season, Phil Handy notably predicted that the Los Angeles Lakers needed to make sure they gelled on the court, noting that their stars have to “figure out ways to play with each other and sacrifice”. Chemistry was an issue for the Los Angeles Lakers all season.
Paper doesn’t win championships for us. Those names that are on that paper are some phenomenal names… We gotta do our work and make sure we gel. Do we fit? These guys, they gotta figure out ways to play with each other and sacrifice, and let their names take over. You know, you look at that piece of paper and say, Lakers are loaded, automatic championship. Nah man, we got a lot of work to do in terms of just gelling, finding our rhythm and being able to be cohesive as a unit.
Hopefully, the Los Angeles Lakers are able to have a better season next year. There’s no doubt that they have gone in a different direction this offseason with their roster building, signing a lot of athletic and defensive-minded players, rather than trying to focus on offense.
Phil Handy will be crucial to the Los Angeles Lakers’ chances next season, and perhaps we’ll see him win yet another championship. The Lakers could surprise many people next year, but they definitely have to have better chemistry than they did this season.
