The Los Angeles Lakers have found a replacement for Jason Kidd who took the Dallas Mavericks head coaching job. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Lakers are to hire David Fizdale as an assistant coach. Frank Vogel adds an assistant with plenty of head coaching experience, and a coach who is generally well-liked in the locker room.
The Lakers are finalizing a deal to hire former Knicks and Grizzlies coach David Fizdale as an assistant coach, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2021
Despite less than stellar results as a head coach, Fizdale is well-respected as an assistant and has worked with some of the league’s best. Perhaps most famous for his “Take that for data!” quote following a first-round, Game 2 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. However, he was on staff for the Miami Heat and worked alongside LeBron James and the rest of the Big Three in South Beach.
Since being fired from the New York Knicks head spot, he has not been in the league but will now be on Coach Vogel’s staff and alongside LeBron again. This is a solid hire for those who know Fizdale’s record as an assistant. With almost 20 years of experience coaching in the NBA, there aren’t many other assistants who have the resume that Fizdale has.
