Warriors associate head coach Luke Walton is now the newest LA Lakers head coach. (Photo : Getty Images/Ezra Shaw)
The Los Angeles Lakers fired head coach Byron Scott on April 24, Sunday, after two unproductive seasons that saw the franchise win a total of 38 games. The Lakers are now looking for their new head coach and two names are on the top of their unofficial shortlist, Luke Walton and Ettore Messina.
The LA front office did not exercise their option on Scott's contract and fired him eventually after speculations about his future. The Lakers are very interested in Walton and Ettore, who are the two of the top assistant coaches in the NBA today.
Walton led the Golden State Warriors to a 39-4 record while Steve Kerr was recovering from back surgery. Messina is an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs and more known for his accomplishments as a head coach in Europe.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the Lakers are not in a hurry to interview both coaches who are in the midst of a playoff run with their respective teams. The Warriors have given their permission to interview Walton in between rounds and the defending champions can close out their series against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday.
The 36-year-old played in Los Angeles for nine seasons and learned his craft under the guidance of the great Phil Jackson. He has shown that his capable of leading a team as he handled the Warriors with poise at the start of the season.
On the other hand, the Lakers have also received permission from the Spurs to interview Messina, a person familiar with the situation told USA Today. The Italian coach is respected for all of his achievements in Europe.
The 56-year-old coach won four Euroleague titles in his career and was named Euroleague Coach of the Year twice. He was a Lakers consultant during the 2011-12 season under Mike Brown before joining Gregg Popovich and the Spurs in 2014.
Besides Walton and Messina, other coaches that may receive an interview from the Lakers include Connecticut head coach Kevin Ollie and former NBA coach Jeff Van Gundy. Tom Thibodeau and Scott Brooks both expressed interest in the Lakers head coaching vacancy before signing with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Washington Wizards, respectively.
The Lakers are in a rebuilding process with young players like Jordan Clarkson, D'Angelo Russell, and Julius Randle. The team also has a chance to pick a franchise cornerstone like Brandon Ingram and Ben Simmons in the upcoming NBA Draft.
Check out the video below for other possible candidates for the Lakers head coaching position.
