The LA Lakers now have the most anticipated head coaching vacancy in the NBA but are they too late in the game?
The Lakers front office officially declared that they have fired coach Byron Scott after the respective announcements of (rumored) top candidates Tom Thibodeau and Scott Brooks accepting jobs with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Washington Wizards respectively.
The timing has been questioned and the Lakers brass has been heavily criticized for letting the big fish pass. However, based on a column from Chris Mannix of The Vertical at Yahoo Sports, the Lakers may have done that on purpose.
Mannix agreed that both Thibodeau and Brooks were interested in the job, adding that Brooks is actually an LA resident. But the Lakers may have had other plans.
"Did Thibodeau not appeal to them? Thibs' thirst for total control could have been a problem," Mannix wrote. "And what about Brooks? The Wizards coach lives in the area and would have jumped at the opportunity to interview for the gig. Did Kevin Durant's former coach, with an NBA Finals appearance on his résumé and Coach of the Year hardware on his shelf, not warrant a look?"
The Vertical writer mentions that the Scott firing was not a matter for debate. Even casual fans want him gone. But the idea is that the Lakers already have a shortlist, which Mannix described.
"Luke Walton is an obvious choice; the former Lakers forward has strong ties to the franchise and is fresh off the most successful fill-in head coaching stint in NBA history," Mannix noted. "Connecticut's Kevin Ollie has been on the NBA's radar for a few years. Spurs assistant Ettore Messina has for even longer. Jeff Van Gundy has a proven track record and the disciplined system the Lakers badly need."
Ollie stands out because he is a college head coach, and the core players of the Lakers are at or near college age. There is also an X-factor for him, is his relationship with Kevin Durant when he played for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
It was speculated that Ollie is a bigger lure than Brooks was but that is not the only reason the Lakers should choose him. Mark Medina of LA Daily News stated that "He is seen as a rising coach that could relate to and develop younger players, such as the Lakers' core group."
Not to mention, as Medina updated, Ollie is actually "intrigued" with the position.
"Although he has remained happy coaching the Huskies for the past four years, Ollie finds the Lakers' head-coaching vacancy intriguing, according to a source familiar with his thinking."
The coach of the University of Connecticut who led the Huskies to the 2014 National Championship has three years more on his contract, a buyout is not impossible.
Hiring Ollie is not enough to bring Kevin Durant but it is an ace in the hand for the Tinseltown team. Between Ollie and Walton, Ollie seems to be a more realistic target.