Getty NBA Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett.
It appears that the Los Angeles Lakers could be nearing the end of the search for the next head coach. Recent reports have indicated that Darvin Ham, Kenny Atkinson and Terry Stotts are the finalists to get the job. According to Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic, Ham has made the “strongest impression” so far and he appears to be the guy fans are hoping for.
However, not everybody is impressed with the team’s finalists. NBA Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett couldn’t even believe who the Lakers are targeting. On his Instagram story, Garnett said the team couldn’t be “serious” about the coaches they are targeting.
Kevin Garnett weighs in on the Lakers coaching search
It’s unclear if Garnett is targeting everybody that has been linked to the Lakers or just the three that have recently been reported on. Fans haven’t exactly been thrilled with the idea of Stotts or Atkinson getting the job due to their recent failures as head coaches. Many appear to be high on Ham, including LeBron James, per Bleacher Report. It’s worth noting that Garnett has no reason to like the Lakers due to his years battling them in the Western Conference and the fact that he battled them in the NBA Finals twice as a member of the Boston Celtics. He’s going to take his shots whenever he has the chance.
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Lakers Still Targeting Doc Rivers?
One coaching candidate fans have vehemently fought against is Doc Rivers. Garnett’s former coach in Boston could’ve lost his job after the Philadelphia 76ers disappointed in the playoffs once again. However, the plan appears for him to keep his job, per president of basketball operations Daryl Morey. The Lakers might not be buying what Morey is selling. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Los Angeles is still holding out hope that Rivers will become available.
“Suspicions persist in league coaching circles that the Lakers have not completely abandoned hope that Philadelphia’s Doc Rivers becomes unexpectedly available — despite the recent insistence from Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey that Rivers will be back in Philly next season,” Stein wrote, via his Substack.
The Lakers’ rumored infatuation with Rivers is perplexing. If he were to get fired by the 76ers, that would be the second time he’s had to find a new job in three seasons.
Lakers Could Still Be Looking at More Coaches
While the latest rumors insist that the Lakers are closing in on either Ham, Atkinson or Stotts, there could be more to the story. Per Stein, Los Angeles could still be looking at more candidates than just the three who have been reported.
“There’s also this: One source close to the situation told me over the weekend that the list of coaches under consideration by the Lakers is ‘still wider’ than the reported trio of Ham, Stotts and Atkinson,” Stein wrote.
Exactly who those candidates are remain unclear. The Lakers have been linked to quite a few coaches since firing Frank Vogel so it’s possible that a wild card or two are thrown into the mix.
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Kevin Garnett Rips Into Lakers Over Latest Rumors: ‘They Not Serious’