Spurs assistant topping Lakers coaching search
The Los Angeles Lakers are wasting no time in their coaching search.
According to a person with knowledge of the situation, the Lakers have received permission from the San Antonio Spurs to interview their lead assistant coach, Ettore Messina, as a possible replacement for the recently departed Byron Scott.
It is unclear how soon the team plans to interview Messina, the widely-respected Italian coach who won four Euroleague titles and was twice the Euroleague coach of the year before spending the 2011-12 NBA season on the Lakers coaching staff headed by Mike Brown. The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because of the private nature of the search.
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While many names have been mentioned, Messina and Golden State Warriors assistant Luke Walton are believed to be on the Lakers’ unofficial short list. Messina, who is also being considered for the Sacramento Kings’ head coaching vacancy, joined Gregg Popovich and his San Antonio staff in July of 2014.
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Connecticut coach Kevin Ollie and former Houston Rockets and New York Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy, who is now an ESPN analyst, are also expected to receive consideration. According to a person with knowledge of Van Gundy's situation, he has also been contacted by the Lakers and does have an interest in the position. The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because of the private nature of the process.
Van Gundy is also expected to be a serious coaching candidate for the Houston Rockets, who fired coach Kevin McHale 11 games into the season and have been led by interim J.B. Bickerstaff ever since. The Rockets are down 3-1 in their first round playoff series against the Golden State Warriors. The Lakers opted against a return for Scott, who went 38-126 in his two seasons as head coach and had team options on his contract for the next two campaigns.
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