Doc Rivers? Nick Nurse? A Lakers insider’s guide to Frank Vogel’s replacement

Rob Pelinka, the Lakers’ vp of basketball operations and normal supervisor, stated the staff hasn’t put “collectively an inventory or who the alternative is” in a training search to exchange the fired Frank Vogel.

That hasn’t stopped the rumors from beginning about who the Lakers can be focused on after they formally parted methods with Vogel on Monday.

Essentially the most intriguing teaching names they seemingly will think about are Utah’s Quin Snyder, Toronto’s Nick Nurse, Philadelphia’s Doc Rivers and Michigan’s Juwan Howard, however all of these coaches are below contract.

Steve Clifford, the previous coach with the Orlando Magic, Terry Stotts, the previous Portland Path Blazers coach, and Darvin Ham, an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks, are names which were talked about amongst league insiders.

The Lakers, Pelinka stated throughout an interview with reporters Monday afternoon, won’t be in a rush to decide on the following coach.

“I feel it’s going to be a really methodical course of, and I feel the rules listed below are to not choose an finish date and say, ‘Hey, we’ve to have somebody by this date.’ I feel we wish to discover the correct individual,” Pelinka stated. “I feel that’s an important factor. I feel all issues thought of, it could be nice to have somebody in place by the [NBA] draft” on June 23.

“However our course of can be thorough and methodical, and we haven’t even begun to place collectively an inventory or talk about who the alternative is. We wished to make a dedication to ending the season robust final evening, which we have been capable of do. And never skip steps, and type of flip to these choices as soon as the season was over beginning right this moment.”

Snyder, who is understood for having superb offensive units and a stable defensive basis, has led the Jazz to the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season. He was an assistant with the Lakers whereas on the workers of coach Mike Brown in 2011-2012. Not solely is Snyder below contract with the Jazz for no less than yet another season, individuals not approved to talk publicly on the matter stated he has develop into much less within the Lakers’ job due to how the Vogel firing was dealt with.

Nurse, who led the Raptors to the NBA championship in 2019, additionally has a couple of years left on his deal and nobody from across the league thinks Toronto will let him depart. Nurse signed a multiyear contract extension in 2020 with two years nonetheless remaining on his present deal.

As one individual with information of the scenario stated, “there hasn’t been something substantiated by the use of any dialogue from any events.”

Nurse is represented by Klutch Sports activities, which additionally represents Lakers stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, each of whom have informed buddies that they like how Nurse coaches.

Though Rivers has three years left on his take care of the 76ers, an individual acquainted with his scenario stated he shouldn’t be discounted as a candidate. Rivers received an NBA championship with the Celtics in 2008 and misplaced a Finals rematch with the Lakers in 2010.

Many individuals across the league really feel Rivers has the clout and the respect to educate stars like James, Davis and Russell Westbrook.

Based on individuals acquainted with Howard’s scenario, he needs to proceed teaching his two sons, Jett and Jace, who each play at Michigan. Howard interviewed for the Lakers job that ultimately went to Vogel in 2019. Howard was an assistant coach for six seasons with Miami and received two championships as a participant with James and the Warmth.

“When it comes to what this staff wants proper now, we really feel like with, clearly, superstars on our staff, we wish a powerful voice that’s capable of encourage the gamers to play on the highest stage of competitors each evening,” Pelinka stated.

“And I feel that’s going to be one of many resounding qualities that we search for when it comes to holding all people from the highest participant on our staff to the fifteenth man to a level of accountability. And that’s going to be one of many many traits that I feel jumps out right this moment.”