With a new era of Lakers basketball upon us, LeBron James understands the future of this franchise is about Anthony Davis and he advised the franchise of that in their coach search
The Lakers have had a head coaching vacancy since the beginning of May after firing Darvin Ham after two seasons. There has been much speculation on who they should hire, but weeks into the process a decision has still yet to be made.
In recent coaching searches, the Lakers have heavily weighed LeBron James into their decision. But with his career in its final seasons, even LeBron knows that’s not the best path moving forward.
Brian Windhorst of ESPN went on the Unsportsmanlike radio show to discuss LeBron’s discussion with the organization about focusing on what’s best for Anthony Davis and the Lakers rather than who he would want for the position.
James has been accused of being LeGM his whole career, but if Windhorst’s statements are accurate, then it shows that he is taking a step back and letting the organization focus on itself and its future more than what could be in his best interest.
A cynic could also consider James’ ability to opt out of his contract an indication that he could leave and doesn’t want to be involved in any long-term Lakers decisions.
That feels like a bit of a stretch, but if he opts out and leaves voluntarily this summer, this moment of stepping away from decisions could be one of the warning signs many of us missed.
As of now, reports indicate that the Lakers are targeting UConn’s Dan Hurley as the new head coach, but this is far from a foregone conclusion. Just a day ago, it seemed the Lakers were “zeroing in” on JJ Redick for the job and now that seems like the least likely outcome.
Whether it’s Hurley, Redick, or another candidate like James Borrego, whoever becomes the Lakers’ 27th head coach in franchise history, the goal is clear: win titles with Davis as your star and help develop the players already on the roster.
The next coach has a tall task ahead of them, adjusting to a shifting NBA landscape in which newcomers like the Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder dominate the West while veteran teams like the Lakers and Warriors struggle to make the play-in.
The results will not be known years from now, but it seems like a good sign that the focus is on building around AD and the years beyond James, given where he is in his career and how far the Lakers have to become legitimate title contenders.
