"The business of basketball is not easy" - Former Lakers assistant coach Phil Handy bids emotional adieu to fans
Months after his firing, former LA Lakers assistant coach Phil Handy bid farewell to the Lakers' fanbase in an emotional social media message.
On May 3, LA moved on from then-head coach Darvin Ham and his coaching staff, ending Handy's five-year assistant-coaching stint. The Los Angeles Times' Dan Woike reported that the franchise wanted to "clean the slate for its next coach."
In late June, the Lakers hired first-time coach JJ Redick, citing his acclaimed analytical mind and plan to reinvent their offense. Some fans held out hope that Handy would be brought back. However, Redick ultimately handpicked a completely new coaching staff, headlined by ex-head coaches Nate McMillan and Scott Brooks.
On Wednesday, Phil Handy took to Instagram to say goodbye to LA's fans, expressing gratitude for their unwavering support.
"Laker Nation, long overdue. Five years in the books and y'all held me down from start to finish," Handy said. "The amount of love Lake Show fans showed me over the years has been unreal! I will be forever grateful for the outpouring of support y'all showed the OG.
"We did the thing in 2020 and tried every year to compete for more. The business of basketball is not always easy or fair, but you all know what I’m about with this game and any player I’ve ever worked with. Y'all know what it is," he added.
Handy, who preceded Ham, was part of LA's 2020 NBA championship-winning coaching staff, serving under former head coach Frank Vogel. During his five-year Lakers coaching tenure, he was lauded for his player development, working closely with key players like Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura.
Before that, Phil Handy was an assistant with the Cleveland Cavaliers (2013-2018) and Toronto Raptors (2018-19), winning titles with both teams.
Nevertheless, the three-time champion has yet to be picked up by a new squad ahead of this upcoming season.
Following Phil Handy's firing, JJ Redick stressed his new coaching staff's focus on player development
Despite the Lakers letting go of Phil Handy, one of the NBA's premier player development coaches, the franchise appears intent on developing its young prospects.
Early last month, JJ Redick outlined his expectations for his new coaching staff, emphasizing the importance of team chemistry and player development.
"Through an intentional and thorough process, we've brought together an experienced, diverse and dedicated coaching staff," Redick said. "Our goal from day one is to foster a high-performing environment of player development and team alignment through relentless work, daily collaboration and innovation."
LA has done little to upgrade last season's roster, which finished seventh (47-35) in the Western Conference, tallying one playoff win. Its most notable offseason additions have been rookies Dalton Knecht and Bronny James.
So, coaching will likely play a crucial role in the Lakers' chances of improving this upcoming season. It remains to be seen if Redick and his staff will be up to the challenge of guiding the franchise back to title contention.
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