As they settle into the offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers have received permission to interview several head coach candidates, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
This list includes New Orleans Pelicans associate head coach James Borrego; Denver Nuggets lead assistant David Adelman; Minnesota Timberwolves lead assistant Micah Nori; Miami Heat lead assistant Chris Quinn; and Boston Celtics assistant Sam Cassell.
The Lakers secured permission to interview Miami assistant Chris Quinn too, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/Z8ZWVxedQz
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 15, 2024
L.A. was already rumored to have four interviews lined up this week, with Adelman and Borrego among them. Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson and 15-year NBA veteran JJ Redick are on the Lakers’ schedule as well.
Former NBA head coach Terry Stotts and Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Sean Sweeney are also linked to Los Angeles. However, reports have yet to surface about either Stotts or Sweeney being lined up for an interview.
Stotts’ last head coaching gig was in 2020-21. He went 402-218 in nine seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers but was 22-40 in the playoffs. Sweeney has been coaching in the NBA since 2013, getting his start with the Brooklyn Nets. Since then, he’s coached for three teams, including the Mavs. He’s spent all but three seasons under Jason Kidd, a Hall of Fame point guard who made the jump to the head coaching ranks immediately after retiring.
Lakers to Receive Permission to Interview Long List of Candidates
Among the candidates mentioned by Wojnarowski, none of the names are new.
However, there was question about whether they’d be able to interview Nori with his team entrenched in a playoff battle. Achieving rapid popularity this postseason, Nori’s experience and magnetic personality make him a logical candidate. With the Timberwolves having the third-best record in the West and the top-ranked defense in the NBA, this is even more true.
As of now, Redick appears to be the early frontrunner for the Lakers’ gig. Nonetheless, experienced player-coaches like Nori and Cassell will give him a run for his money.
Particularly Cassell.
Sam Cassell the Top Option?
Like Redick, Cassell had a standout career as an NBA player.
After 15 years in the Association, starring for multiple teams, he became a household name. He had a career season in 2003-04, earning his only All-Star selection and coming in 10th in MVP voting. However, he was also successful from a team standpoint, winning two championships while with the Houston Rockets and another with the Boston Celtics. This aspect of his playing career sets him even further apart from the competition, as even Redick hasn’t had a first-person view of a championship team.
Retiring from the league in 2009, Cassell immediately went into coaching. He now has 30 seasons of NBA experience, far more than other candidate that’s been named. In that time, he’s been able to take notes from legendary head coaches like Rudy Tomjanovich, John Calipari, George Karl, Flip Saunders, and Doc Rivers.
