The Los Angeles Lakers were quick to move on from head coach Frank Vogel once their regular season officially ended. This was not a surprise after falling flat on their face, despite having a trio of stars. Something had to change. Could the search lead to Mark Jackson getting another chance, this time with the Lakers?
There figures to be no shortage of suitors interested in not only having the chance to coach LBJ and AD, especially when factoring in the enormous following the Lakers have around the world. It’s perhaps the most prestigious basketball coaching gig in existence.
But that doesn’t mean it’s all peaches and cream. Taking the Lakers job comes with a lot of responsibility and very little credit. Let’s be honest, it’s LeBron’s team, and as long as he can still average 30 points per game, it always will be. It doesn’t matter who the coach is.
Yet, it very much does matter. The organization needs a strong mind who won’t back down to the L.A. basketball stars while being willing to have an open mind, making the necessary adjustments without being worried about how it affects someone’s ego.
Although Vogel’s Lakers won the NBA Finals just two seasons ago, two consecutive years without a playoff berth were enough to get him the boot. Whoever takes over will be expected to immediately bring L.A. back to the playoffs. If not, James himself may want out, who knows?
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Could Lakers’ interview process lead them back to Mark Jackson?
If King James says he wants Mark Jackson to be the coach, well then, he’s probably going to be hired. Or at least that’s been the line of thinking from some. Who knows just how truthful that is, but we might get another chance to find out this summer.
Based on sources who tell Sam Amick of The Athletic, “LeBron would be very enthused by Mark Jackson landing the Lakers head coaching job”.
But this isn’t the first time James has advocated for a coach. LeBron was also intrigued by Tyronn Lue and Jason Kidd prior to Vogel’s hiring. So, James may not have as much pull as some would believe.
In what’s expected to be a long, drawn-out process, the Lakers are likely to cast a wide net in search of their next franchise leader. Maybe that leads them to Jackson, a coach who seemingly began the Golden State Warriors’ turnaround before Steve Kerr came in and finished the gig.
- Mark Jackson coaching record with Warriors: 23-43 in 2011-12
- 47-35 in 2012-13
- 51-31 in 2013-14
- 121-109 – .526 career win percentage
A former NBA point guard who played 17 seasons in the pros, since being let go by the Warriors, Jackson has since resumed his role with ESPN as a game analyst, where he can be heard on TV broadcasts. There are also several qualified current NBA assistant coaches who may have a stronger chance of landing the Lakers job. After all, the team’s taken a ton of heat for their 2021-22 performance, they need to get this hire right.
Related: 5 Los Angeles Lakers head coach candidates to replace Frank Vogel