"I don't know where that stuff comes from" - Former NBA Coach Of The Year winner categorically denies LA Lakers' interest in him for the head coach job
The LA Lakers have been in the market to fill their head coach position since firing Frank Vogel at the end of a disappointing season. Not making the playoffs with a roster consisting of superstar talent like LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook - to name a few - is a rarity that the LA Lakers have been subject to.
With the season ending early for the LA Lakers, there have been rumors floating around about the likely candidate to fill the head coach position. Quite a few coaches in the league, including some who have held assistant coaching roles, have been linked to the Lakers.
Nick Nurse on reports of the Lakers' interest in him: "I don't know where that stuff comes from and I'm focused on coaching this team."
While some of these rumors carry weight, Nick Nurse – the head coach of the Toronto Raptors – dismissed being linked to a role with the Lakers:
“I don't know where that stuff comes from and I'm focused on coaching this team [Raptors].”
It is no surprise that Nick Nurse responded in this manner, considering he is still under contract with the Toronto Raptors. In his tenure with the franchise, he was able to deliver a championship in 2019 – giving the Raptors organization its first NBA title.
“I would want to play here, if I was a free agent.”
Nick Nurse making the sales pitch! 👀 https://t.co/NbLx4enp7J
The LA Lakers could trade draft picks to acquire the services of Nick Nurse. However, that seems highly unlikely, considering Nurse’s commitment to the Raptors and the LA Lakers not wanting to hurt their future prospects in the process.
Nick Nurse added:
“Listen, Masai and I have a great relationship, I think mostly because we want to win championships. That's what I sense he's trying to do every day and that's what I'm trying to do every day. And that's really important, I think that that goes a long way in synergy for me."
The LA Lakers are trying to make amends starting from the head coach position
Frank Vogel may have taken the fall for what was a disastrous season both on and off the court for the Lakers. While what fans see is the Lakers performing poorly, part of the blame lies with coaching as well as roster-building.
A roster loaded with superstars clearly did not work out for the LA Lakers, and to make matters worse – Frank Vogel was a defensive-minded coach, with a supporting cast of offensive minds. This has to be attributed to the lack of predictability from the Lakers’ front office.
Details on how the #Lakers are approaching their coaching search differently than most teams:
lakersnation.com/lakers-rumors-… https://t.co/wdpP4k3kpz
As things stand, the Lakers have a lot to do this summer and are moving in the right direction so far. Other candidates for the head coach position include Quin Snyder of the Utah Jazz and Darvin Ham – assistant coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, who seem to be more realistic options.