NBA RUMOR: Tom Thibodeau, Carmelo Anthony Both To The Lakers?
The Los Angeles Lakers are spending time deliberating on who will be their next head coach since Mike D’Antoni’s resignation. There have been consistent reports about Carmelo Anthony, who is expected to opt out of his deal with the New York Knicks this summer, as an assured free agent target for the Lakers. We showed you the list of possible head coaches that the Lakers will consider, but we also shared the report about their plan to receive permission from the Chicago Bulls to court head coach Tom Thibodeau.
How are the two related? Anthony and Thibodeau are both represented by the Creative Arts Agency. Chicago Tribune sports columnist David Haugh speculates,
The longer Thibodeau stays silent, the more people will suspect he has interest in the Lakers or was aware of the rumor being floated — which might be unfair but part of the perception-is-reality world in which we live. It only took two phone calls on this story before a league source wondered whether Creative Arts Agency — which represents Thibodeau and free-agent Carmelo Anthony — would prefer their clients collaborate in Los Angeles instead of Chicago.
Haugh may have a point in that CAA would love for their two clients to join up in one of the biggest NBA media markets, but the Lakers’ chances of landing both may be unrealistic. Phil Jackson is doing his part to try and keep Carmelo Anthony in New York and Thibodeau doesn’t necessarily come across as a bright lights, big city personality. Still, Haugh’s point about Thibodeau’s silence is important. You never know how a few pleasant phone calls and a fresh start with new stars might sound. The Lakers may be able to use the CAA relationship to lure both prospects in their attempts to appease the final years of Kobe Bryant’s career and bounce back from arguably the worst season in franchise history.
