The Los Angeles Lakers are continuing their hunt for their next Head Coach. After firing Byron Scott right after the NBA Playoffs started, the Lakers have been on the chase for a Coach to lead their youthful team. There has already been discussion that they have approached Luke Walton, Jeff Van Gundy, Kevin Ollie, and now Doug Collins.
According to Marc Stein of ESPN:
NBA coaching sources say that the Lakers also have interest in ESPN analyst Jeff Van Gundy, who is known to be at or near the top of the Houston Rockets’ wish list, as well as ESPN’s Doug Collins.
Collins has been a long time coach and basketball analyst in all facets and levels of the game, including high school, college, and coaching 4 different NBA teams, the most recently the Philadelphia 76ers in 2010, making the playoffs both year as a coach. His most well-known coaching position was as the Chicago Bulls coach in the late 80’s, coaching a Young Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. Collins has been there and done that. His experiences would be good to add to a young and talented Los Angeles Lakers squad that has a lot of upside.
They have two guards (if the re-sign them both), in Jordan Clarkson and D’Angelo Russell that possess the talent that can take the league by storm and they also have additional pieces such as Julius Randle and Larry Nance Jr. that make this young team exciting to watch. They weren’t really exciting last year, but that was most because this past year was basically a going away party for Kobe Bryant, and their former coach, Byron Scott, was criticized for not developing these young talents as much as possible.
Although Collins is not the favourite to Coach this Lakers squad, he would be the most experienced coaching they’re going after. Personally, I think we’re bound to see Luke Walton take the helm and that he would actually be good for the team. What do you guys think? Let us know @NBAonDefPen!
