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Latest On Lakers Coaching Candidates

November 9th, 2012 at 1:09pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers' decision to fire Mike Brown didn't necessarily come as a surprise, given the team's sluggish start to the season. The timing of the move, however, just five games into the regular season, was a bit of a shock, including to Brown himself — according to Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times, the coach was "caught off guard" by today's decision (Twitter link).

It appears the Lakers will make Bernie Bickerstaff the interim coach, but the team will almost certainly bring in a higher-profile name sooner or later. Here's some of the speculation flying around Twitter about possible replacements for Brown, with pros and cons for each potential candidate:

Mike D'Antoni: The Lakers are reportedly considering the former Knicks head coach, though Jarrod Rudolph of RealGM.com argues that only Steve Nash would benefit from a D'Antoni hire (Sulia link). Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports adds (via Twitter) that D'Antoni's recent knee surgery will likely make him unable to coach until late December.
Brian Shaw: Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com tweets that Shaw was the Lakers' players choice for head coach when Phil Jackson retired. However, Marc J. Spears and Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports suggest Shaw may not be a likely candidate, considering the "acrimony that ensued" when the Lakers front office chose Brown over Shaw.
Phil Jackson: Arash Markazi of ESPNLA.com argues that Jackson is the best fit for the Lakers, rather than a rookie head coach like Shaw or Chuck Person (Twitter links). Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game says (via Twitter) that Jackson is not in the picture, however.
Jerry Sloan: Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld heard from one league source earlier this week that Sloan would be the Lakers' coach by December 1st. Jeff McDonald of San Antonio Express-News questions whether Sloan would be the best fit for a job that involves working in Los Angeles and coaching Dwight Howard (Twitter links). Bucher adds in a tweet that he can't see Sloan and Jim Buss co-existing.
Nate McMillan: Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News suggests (via Twitter) that McMillan may be the best free agent coach available. Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun notes that, last we heard, McMillan was happy not coaching (Twitter link), but McMillan may have changed that stance recently, as Marc J. Spears tweets that the former Blazers coach is open to an NBA job. The Lakers haven't contacted him though, says Spears.

Poor Homestand Would Jeopardize Brown’s Job

November 9th, 2012 at 10:03am CST by Luke Adams

With the Lakers set to begin a six-game homestand tonight against the Warriors, the team's next few games could determine whether or not head coach Mike Brown keeps his job, reports ESPN.com's Marc Stein. According to Stein, an unsuccessful homestand would put Brown's job in immediate jeopardy. While the Lakers have expressed public support for Brown, the team is concerned enough that it would seriously consider a coaching change if the on-court struggles continue.

Lakers executive vice president Jim Buss said earlier this week that he has "no problems" with Brown, and that the front office will be patient to allow the head coach to work through the slow start. He did concede that the team would have to stay on top of the situation, but didn't suggest Brown was on the hot seat. According to Stein, however, the club's patience is "starting to erode."

The Lakers' six-game homestand includes matchups against four of the West's 2011/12 lottery teams, in the Warriors, Kings, Suns, and Rockets, so there should be plenty of winnable games for Los Angeles during the stretch.

As Stein notes, Mike D'Antoni, Nate McMillan, Jerry Sloan, and Stan Van Gundy are among the high-profile former head coaches who are currently on the market. Meanwhile, Brian Kamenetzky of ESPNLosAngeles.com and ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst are two of the most recent writers to address the coaching situation in Los Angeles.

Western Notes: Blazers, Brown, Williams, Martin

November 8th, 2012 at 3:23pm CST by Luke Adams

The Western Conference got off to a bit of a slow start in inter-conference games this year, but Western teams turned that trend around last night. Of the six Wednesday night contests that pitted West vs. East, only the Sixers could earn a win for the Eastern Conference, beating the Hornets in New Orleans — the Suns, Mavericks, Timberwolves, Warriors, and Kings all defeated Eastern teams.

Here are a few of today's updates from around the Western Conference:

The Trail Blazers haven't received much bench production so far, something GM Neil Olshey is keeping an eye on. According to Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com, Olshey may look to address the issue at the trade deadline if no one steps up internally.
SI.com's Ben Golliver reads between the lines of Jim Buss' comments on Lakers coach Mike Brown, concluding that Buss may be laying the groundwork for Brown to eventually be replaced.
Tyson Chandler believes the Mavericks had a chance to win back-to-back titles if Mark Cuban had elected to bring all of 2010/11's Mavs back last season, writes Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv.
If Derrick Williams doesn't start producing soon, it may be time to consider whether last year's second overall pick is a bust, says Stephen Brotherson of HoopsWorld.
Although Kevin Martin is in a contract year, Thunder GM Sam Presti tells Sam Amick of USA Today that isn't a concern at the moment, and that Martin's future will be addressed "at the appropriate time."
Kirk Lacob, general manager of the Warriors' D-League affiliate, spoke to Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle about Santa Cruz's new stadium and last week's draft. We covered a few other D-League items of note earlier today.

Jim Buss Has “No Problems” With Mike Brown

November 8th, 2012 at 9:02am CST by Luke Adams

With the Lakers off to a 1-4 start, there's been plenty of speculation suggesting that head coach Mike Brown could be on the hot seat in Los Angeles. However, as Lakers executive vice president Jim Buss tells Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com, the front office intends to exercise some patience, letting Brown and the Lakers work through the early-season struggles.

"I have no problems with Mike Brown at all," Buss said. "He just works too hard and he's too knowledgeable for this to be happening. So either the system is flawed or something's going on. Or, like the Triangle, it's very hard to pick up and understand. I'm not a basketball mind like he is or the players are, and the players are fine with it, so I just have to be patient."

Buss acknowledged that no one was happy about the team's early results and that he and the front office would stay on top of the situation, but said that doesn't mean a change is coming. According to Buss, he's been gauging the reactions of Kobe Bryant and the rest of the Lakers, reading their public comments and talking to them directly, and has gotten the sense that "everything's cool."

While the Lakers only have five games under their belts and are expected to turn things around in the near future, Buss admitted that the team was built to win now and continued struggles would be a concern. However, he wouldn't commit to a specific timeline for evaluating the club's (and Brown's) performance.

"You have to give it time to understand [what's going on]," Buss said. "I don't know if there's an actual game total that would make me impatient. I know if we're 1-15, I don't think that would be very good. I'm sure that would be a panic button. But at this time, I'm fine with what's going on. It's a learning process for the players. As long as everybody is on the same page, I think we're fine."

Odds & Ends: Shaw, Lakers, Sloan, Thabeet

November 6th, 2012 at 10:58pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s evening schedule only features three contests, but all three should be interesting to watch — the Magic will look to stay undefeated in Chicago, the Thunder will try to bounce back from a home loss to Portland, and in Denver, both the Nuggets and Pistons will be seeking their first win. As we await tonight’s games, let’s check out a few odds and ends from around the Association:

Pacers assistant Brian Shaw is arguably the most qualified assistant in the league, but Mark Montieth of Pacers.com doesn’t expect him to hold that title for much longer. Shaw turned down the Bobcats head coaching job this summer because he didn’t like the fit, but figures to receive a stronger offer in his next try.
Speaking to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld, one league source predicted that Jerry Sloan will replace Mike Brown as the Lakers‘ head coach within the next month.
Although James Harden was upset that the Thunder rushed his decision on a contract extension before they traded him to the Rockets, LeBron James tells Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida (Sulia link) that he thinks Harden is welcoming the opportunity to “have his [own] team and showcase what he’s able to do.”
Kevin Martin, who played with Hasheem Thabeet in Houston, says Thabeet seems to be an entirely different player with the Thunder. “Whatever they did to him, it definitely worked in his favor,” Martin tells Susan Bible of HoopsWorld.
Andrei Kirilenko talks to Michael Scotto of RealGM.com about his decision to play in Russia during the 2011/12 season before returning to the NBA with the Timberwolves this year.

Kennedy On Brown, Lakers, 2014 Free Agent Class

August 12th, 2012 at 7:47pm CST by Sean Highkin

Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld has weighed in today on several relevant NBA topics, including the expectations placed on the Lakers and their options in free agency in coming years:

Kennedy tweets that Mike Brown will likely receive the majority of blame if the Lakers fall short of their championship aspirations following the additions of Steve Nash and Dwight Howard this offseason.
Kennedy also tweets that he would be surprised if Howard did not re-sign with the Lakers when he hits free agency in July 2013.
In a Sulia post, Kennedy takes a look at the 2014 free agent class, some of which could be options for the Lakers. Top players available include Carmelo Anthony, Dirk Nowitzki, Paul Pierce, Danny Granger, and, should they choose to opt out of their contracts in Miami, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh.
In the same post, Kennedy quotes an anonymous NBA executive as believing the 2014 class has the potential to be more impressive than that of 2010.

Jim Buss “Very Disappointed” By Lakers’ Season

June 1st, 2012 at 9:19am CST by Luke Adams

Lakers vice president of player personnel Jim Buss appeared on 710 ESPN Radio's Mason and Ireland Show on Thursday, expressing disappointment with his team's season (link via Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com). While conceding that he's never happy if the club fall short of a championship, Buss said he was "very disappointed" with the Lakers' season, and thought they "were a better team than this." Jerry Buss' son weighed in on a number of other topics as well, including the head coach, the draft, and star center Andrew Bynum. Here are a few of Buss' comments:

Lakers Rumors: Bynum, Brown, Sessions, Gasol

May 22nd, 2012 at 8:27am CST by Luke Adams

The Thunder advanced to the Western Conference Semifinals last night, sending the Lakers to their second consecutive second-round exit. Despite the loss, Kobe Bryant vowed after the game that L.A. would be back in contention next season: "This is not one of those things like where the Bulls beat the Pistons and the Pistons disappeared forever."

Before the team returns to the court for the 2012/13 season, the Lakers will have a number of roster moves and decisions to make. Here's the latest on a few of the issues facing the club:

Andrew Bynum told reporters last night, including Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com, that he's not sure what his future in Los Angeles holds. According to Bynum's agent David Lee, the ball is in the Lakers' court when it comes to talking about a contract extension for the young center.
Brian Kamenetzky of ESPNLosAngeles.com looks at eight questions facing the Lakers as the team prepares for the offseason. Within the piece, he suggests that coach Mike Brown won't be fired, and wonders whether Ramon Sessions will pick up his player option after a poor postseason.
Over the luxury-tax threshold and with only the 60th pick in the draft, the Lakers will have to make trades if they hope to improve their roster, writes Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times.
Pau Gasol's time as a Laker will likely end soon, since he's their only logical trade chip, says Sean Deveney of the Sporting News.
Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune tweets that he expects the Timberwolves to get involved in Gasol trade discussions again.
Gasol should be the first domino to fall, but the Lakers will be faced with other decisions too, writes McMenamin.
For his part, Gasol doesn't think the Lakers need to significantly overhaul the roster, as he tells Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. Gasol, Bynum, and Bryant all suggested that a full training camp would've helped the Lakers, who were adjusting to Brown's system.

Lakers Release Statement On Mike Brown

May 12th, 2012 at 5:50pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Magic Johnson recently made waves by saying that Mike Brown would be fired if the Lakers lose tonight's Game Seven against the Nuggets. The Lakers issued a statement that Magic's comments on Brown "in no way reflect the feelings of (Lakers) management," according to a tweet by Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com. The statement also indicated that the organization is in full support of Brown as the head coach.

Royce Young of CBS Sports had the complete transcript:

“The opinion expressed yesterday by Magic Johnson regarding Mike Brown was his personal opinion and was made in his role as a TV analyst. His words were not made on behalf of the Los Angeles Lakers, and in no way do they reflect the feelings or position of team ownership or management. We are fully committed to and supportive of Mike Brown as head coach of the Lakers.”

Mike Trudell of KCAL-9 and Dave McMenamin of ESPN LA were also among the first to tweet about the statement.

Coaching Rumors: Brown, Woodson, Jackson

May 12th, 2012 at 4:30pm CST by Chuck Myron

With a bunch of big-name coaches who aren't under contract for next year and the season coming to a close, there should be plenty of news on the coaching front for a while. Here's the latest:

Warren LeGarie, the agent for Lakers coach Mike Brown, feels confident his client will return to the bench next season after LeGarie spoke with GM Mitch Kupchak about comments former minority owner Magic Johnson made suggesting Brown would be fired if the team didn't win tonight, reports Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter links). Spears also tweets that the Lakers are expected to release a statement in support of Brown, and pointed out that Brown has two more guaranteed seasons left on his four-year, $20MM deal.
Dave McMenamin of ESPN LA tweets that Brown's job is not dependent on the result of Game 7 tonight, according to a source with knowledge of the Lakers' thinking.
Brown said earlier today he was unfazed by what Johnson said, and had no indication there was any truth to it, tweeted NBA.com's Scott Howard-Cooper.
Frank Isola of the New York Daily News scolds Knicks coach Mike Woodson for giving into owner James Dolan's wishes regarding his choice of agents.
With Phil Jackson feeling better, Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld speculates about where he might coach next if he returns to the bench, mentioning the Knicks, Thunder, Bulls, Mavs, Magic and Lakers.
Rachel Shuster of USA Today wonders if the Bobcats might also be a landing spot for the Zen Master, since the owner is Michael Jordan, Jackson's first star pupil.