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Could Juwan Howard become the next head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers?
Multiple media reports indicate that Ty Lue is the favorite.
Ty Lue becoming the next head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers is likely according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Per Woj: The expectation is the Lakers will move toward Ty Lue as head coach, but there’s been no offer made to him yet, league sources tell ESPN.
Lue is a former NBA Champion as a head coach, and has had two interviews with the Lakers.
Ty Lue is believed to be up there because of ties to LeBron James.
But other names have surfaced, too.
Jason Kidd’s been mentioned.
Kidd posted a 139–152 record in his 291 games coached in Milwaukee before he was fired last season.
Kidd was higher on the list during the NBA season. Magic Johnson was also calling the shots back then, as well.
On Friday, the Phoenix Suns hired Philadelphia 76ers assistant coach Monty Williams as their new head coach to replace the fired Igor Kokoskov.
The deal is for five years, confirmed 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station’s John Gambadoro. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski added that Williams will remain with the Sixers until their playoff run comes to an end.
“I am thrilled to welcome Monty Williams to the Suns family as our next head coach,” said Suns GM James Jones in a statement. “Monty brings a wealth of NBA experience, both as a coach and former player, in addition to being a high-character individual who will infuse basketball wisdom and life lessons into our locker room. Monty is well respected for his coaching pedigree, leadership and commitment to the community, all of which make him the ideal person to lead our team moving forward.”
Multiple reports in the last three days indicated that the Phoenix Suns had an interest in Williams.
On Wednesday, Marc Stein of the New York Times reported the possibility of Phoenix hiring Monty Williams to fill the role is “gaining real momentum.”
Stein noted the job is his “if he wants it” but pointed out the fact Williams could have multiple opportunities means he “has the rare ability to be choosy about where he wants to coach next.”
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported in April the Suns were “planning to target” Williams, who is currently an assistant coach with the Philadelphia 76ers, after they fired head coach Igor Kokoskov. However, he also noted the Los Angeles Lakers were planning to interview him a second time, as well.
Williams was a player before he was a coach, entering the league out of Notre Dame as a first-round draft pick of the New York Knicks in 1994. He played nine seasons for the Knicks, San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic and 76ers.
He was then an assistant coach for the Portland Trail Blazers before he became the head coach of the New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans prior to the 2010-11 season. He spent five seasons in New Orleans and accumulated a 173-221 record with two playoff appearances, although he lost in the first round both times.
Williams has been the associate head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder and an assistant with Philadelphia since.
As for Phoenix, it finished with the worst record in the Western Conference (19-63) this past season. Organizational stability is also a question mark following the decision to fire Kokoskov after just one season.
According to controversial Twitter account, Igotsources: The Phoenix Suns had an edge over the Los Angeles Lakers in the bidding war for Williams because the Suns are willing to give more front office input to Williams as way to to pry him away from Lakers.
Igotsources also claimed that the Lakers would never consider such idea and that a decision on Williams’ part is expected by this weekend.
The Los Angeles Lakers have a lot to figure out between now, the NBA Draft and the NBA’s free agency period this July.
The Lakers also interviewed Miami Heat assistant Juwan Howard, but he’s not viewed as highly as Lue or even Williams was.
According to Turner: Howard also impressed the Lakers during his interview at the Lakers’ practice facility in El Segundo, according to people with knowledge of the talks.
Howard also has the advantage of being teammates with LeBron James and winning a championship with him during their Miami Heat playing days.
On the coaching side: Howard has had no head coaching experience, yet.
But objectively speaking: Neither did former Lakers coach, Luke Walton. Walton, a former Golden State Warriors assistant coach, did however serve as an interim coach with the Golden State Warriors after Steve Kerr took significant time off due to health concerns.
As for Howard: he has served as the Miami Heat’s defensive coordinator under head coach, Erik Spoelstra.
And as SB Nation’s Silver Screen and Roll’s Harrison Faigen brilliantly pointed out: Under Juwan Howard’s assistant coach tutelage, the Miami Heat have had a top-10 defense for the last four seasons.
Howard also has a background in player development, which would certainly help with the Lakers’ young core; if any of them are still around next season.
It is widely believed that Ty is still a favorite.
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