Luke Walton (Photo : Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Lakers are officially in the hunt for a new head coach after firing Byron Scott.
After two dismal seasons under the guidance of Scott, the Lakers have officially fired the 55-year-old head coach, opening door for a coaching candidate that could turn things around in Lakerland. Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical revealed on his twitter account that the Lakers have fired Scott, who has been in the hot seat early in the regular season due to the team's continuous struggles to record victories.
"We would like to thank Byron for his hard work, dedication and loyalty over the last two years, but have decided it is in the best interest of the organization to make a change at this time," general manager Mitch Kupchak said in a statement, reports the San Jose Mercury News.
The Los Angeles Lakers have fired coach Byron Scott, league sources tell @TheVertical
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) April 25, 2016
Scott has posted a record of 38 wins and 126 losses in two seasons. The worst record in franchise history came in the 2015-2016 season, where Scott misguided the Lakers to finish at the bottom of the Western Conference with a 17-65 slate.
With Scott's firing, the Lakers are now in search for a coach who could take over the Lakers' core of young talents and possibly a new set of roster thru this summer's free agency. Thibodeau and Scott Brooks, two of the names linked to the Lakers to replace the head coaching job, have already been signed by the Minnesota
Timberwolves and the Washington Wizards, respectively, making LA's pool of coaching candidates thinner. But there are still intriguing options for the Lakers to consider, including the Golden State Warriors assistant coach Luke Walton.
Walton played for nine seasons with the Lakers and helped the Purple and Gold won two championships in back-to-back fashion in 2008-09 and 2009-10 season. During Steve Kerr's absence, the 36-year-old wheeled the Warriors to an impressive 39-4 start, making him an instant candidate from NBA teams looking to replace their own head coaches.
There is no confirmation yet whether Walton would really want to step out of the shadows of Steve Kerr and open his own head coaching gig on a team like the Lakers. But with the Lakers on course to create another youthful squad and recruit top free agents using more than $62.6 million in cap space, there is a chance Walton could get swayed to orchestrate the Lakers' return to their glorious days.
Thibodeau reportedly wanted #Lakers job first. Must be all in on a Luke Walton return. — Marc Berman (@NYPost_Berman) April 25, 2016
According to Lakers Nation, other remaining potential candidates for the Lakers' head coaching job are Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson. But it seems Walton is the more fitting personality to replace Scott and run the Lakers' next generation of stars.
