One of the most prized jobs in all of sports — head coach of the Lakers — opened up Wednesday night when Mike D’Antoni resigned.
Magic Johnson was thrilled with the news, but will the Lakers great be happy with the next coach? Furthermore, how enticing is this job? The other team in town, the controversy-clouded Clippers, have far more talent, and Kobe Bryant is on his last legs. Then again, they could end up with a blue-chip prospect, depending on how the draft lottery shakes out.
Derek Fisher
This would be a bold move. Fisher has said he will retire following this season with the Thunder, but the Nets made the unprecedented move with Jason Kidd and it hasn’t worked out too poorly. Fisher is beloved in Los Angeles, is believed to be a coach-in-the-making, and his good buddy Bryant would love this choice.
Steve Kerr
He’s the prohibitive favorite to land the Knicks job, his longstanding ties with Phil Jackson a major factor. Then again, Kerr is a West Coast guy — he went to school at Arizona — and the Lakers have a younger roster and a high draft pick, both of which the Knicks lack.
Lionel Hollins
If the Lakers place a premium on experience, Hollins should be a candidate. He did a phenomenal job with Memphis, leading the Grizzles to the Western Conference finals last year before he was let go following the season. He’s been coaching since the mid-1980s and has proven he can handle the rugged Western Conference. But does his name bring enough buzz?
John Calipari
The Kentucky coach was rumored to be a candidate on national championship night, when broadcaster Rex Chapman, a Kentucky alum with close ties to the school, tweeted Calipari would be the next Lakers coach. Calipari denied the rumors that night and on Thursday morning, he tweeted: “Before it starts, I’m totally committed to helping this group of young men reach their dreams. I wouldn’t & couldn’t leave this group!” Of course, high-profile coaches have been known to talk out of both sides of their mouths, but Calipari may have more talent at Kentucky next season than on the Lakers roster.
Kevin Ollie
His stock couldn’t be higher after leading UConn to the national title in just his second year as a head coach. He’s familiar with the NBA — Ollie played in the league for 13 seasons — but odds are the Lakers wouldn’t be willing to take such a leap of faith.