Mike D'Antoni walked away from the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, resigning after just two years as head coach. D'Antoni wanted the Lakers to pick up his 2015-16 option so he wouldn't be a lame-duck coach next season, but the Lakers refused.
Lakers coaching rumors roundup: Steve Kerr, Byron Scott among others linked to job
Kerr and Scott are just two of the names to be linked to the Lakers’ open head coaching position after the resignation of Mike D’Antoni.
Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports
With D'Antoni out, there are sure to be a bevy of names linked to the open position. Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times reports the search will be "completely wide open," and a new coach isn't expected to be hired prior to the NBA Draft Lottery on May 20.
Naturally, several possible candidates have already popped up. Let’s take a look at those candidates, and a few who most likely won’t be taking the job.
Steve Kerr
Kerr may be Phil Jackson's top choice to replace Mike Woodson as head coach of the New York Knicks, but it's still not a guarantee the TNT analyst will sign up with Jackson in New York. The Lakers job is an attractive one as well, and Kerr has interest in the opening, according to Ben Higgins of ABC 10News.
Scott has previously been linked to the Lakers job, and he told Time Warner Cable SportsNet that he would be interested. Scott grew up in California and played 11 seasons with the Lakers, winning three NBA titles in the 1980s. Scott has been an NBA head coach for three different teams, compiling a .444 record in 13 seasons. Scott led the New Jersey Nets to two straight NBA Finals, where they lost to the Lakers and San Antonio Spurs.
Hollins didn't coach this season after being let go by the Memphis Grizzlies in the offseason, and he's interested in getting back into the coaching game with the Lakers, according to Yahoo! Sports' Marc Spears. Hollins led the Grizzlies to the Western Conference Finals last season, and he holds a .516 winning percentage in his coaching career.
Fisher is currently toiling in the playoffs as a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder, but he's retiring after this season and could look into coaching. According to Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski, the Lakers job "holds tremendous appeal" to Fisher. That certainly makes plenty of sense, as he has won five NBA titles, all with Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.
Ettore Messina
Messina was an assistant under Mike Brown, and both Lakers management and Bryant "share a fondness" for him, according to Wojnarowski. Messina has spent most of his coaching career overseas and is currently coaching in Russia.
There has been plenty of speculation about Rivers' future with the Clippers due to the Donald Sterling scandal, although the hammer brought down by NBA commissioner Adam Silver should make it more likely that Rivers stays. Even if Rivers is still having reservations about the Clippers job, he currently doesn't have any thoughts about the Lakers' open coaching position at this time, according to Spears.
Van Gundy has been linked to several coaching jobs since he was relieved of his duties as Orlando Magic head coach in 2012, but he hasn't taken any of them. And according to Spears, Van Gundy won't be taking the Lakers job either.
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