Mitch Kupchak (Photo : NBAE via Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Lakers may have plenty of options for their head coaching job after all.
The Lakers have finally decided to part ways with Byron Scott after two dismal seasons that saw one of the NBA's storied teams posts a franchise worst 17-65 record.
Contrary to what pundits have expected, the Lakers may have plenty of coaching candidates in line to take over Scott's place, and according to Chris Mannix of The Vertical, Golden State Warriors assistant coach Luke Walton is "an obvious choice" to fill the position.
Walton checks all the boxes in the Lakers' head coach criteria, having played with the team during his pro basketball career and helped LA win two NBA championships. Walton, who wheeled the Warriors to a 24-game winning streak during Steve Kerr's absence, could also relate to the Lakers' core of young players, being a younger at 36 years old.
The only burning question is whether the Lakers could pry out Walton from his assistant coaching gig with the Warriors and head back home to LA to help his former become relevant in the NBA map again. But with Lakers part-owner Jim Buss "partial to Walton," there is a good chance the 36-year-old heads to Lakerland as head coach after Warriors finish their postseason run, according to Chris Broussard of ESPN.
"I talked to several people last night who said, '[Los Angeles] must know they can get Luke Walton. They must have something in place with Luke Walton," Broussard said, reports Harrison Faigen of SB Nation.
Meanwhile, another former Laker may be in the mix to be LA's next head coach. According to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, ex-New York Knicks coach Derek Fisher is interested to take on the same role he took at the Big Apple.
Sources indicate Derek Fisher has interest in the Lakers job. Obviously Laker front office still compiling their... https://t.co/sIg9FqjUyE
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) April 25, 2016
Fisher took the Knicks head coaching job without any experience and was fired after a dismal 40-96 record in nearly two full seasons. He could also be a good fit for the Lakers with a the "family value" factor after helping the franchise to five championships, but his recent gig with the Knicks may suggests he may fall short of landing the Lakers head coaching job.
University of Connecticut coach Kevin Ollie is also reported to be a possible option to guide the Lakers next season. According to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News, Ollie finds an NBA coaching career with the Lakers intriguing despite his ongoing contract with the Huskies.
While Ollie does not have any experience in coaching NBA teams, he could still be an interesting option for the Lakers as what David Blatt was with the Cleveland Cavaliers before the latter got fired early in the 2015-2016 season.
Ollie's strong relationship with star free agent Kevin Durant could help him become the Lakers' next head coach, with LA believed to consider their next coach as part of the free agency pitch, reports Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders.
"This summer, we can get at least two max players - or you could get a max player and two or three other veterans," Kupchak said. "So you could get multiple players, whether they talk amongst themselves or whether we figure out who wants to play with who beginning on July 1.
"We are selling the city, the franchise and our fan base to potential free agents. That's what we sell."
The Lakers will have plenty of decisions to make in the offseason, but whatever their plans are for free agency, it should ultimately star from designating a coach who could turn things around in LA.
