Los Angeles Lakers name Mike D’Antoni as new Head Coach of the team – NBA News
In a surprising turn of events, the Los Angeles Lakers announced on Monday that they had named Mike D’Antoni as the new Head Coach of the team, a few days after firing former head coach Mike Brown. D’Antoni agreed to a three year
$12 million contract with the Lakers, with a team option for the fourth year. However, Antoni only got the job after the Lakers had a round of negotiations with 11 time NBA champion coach Phil Jackson regarding a possible return to the team. Jackson departed
from the Lakers after the 2010-2011 season in which they lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the playoffs. He met with Lakers owners Jerry and Jim Buss as well as General Manager Mitch Kupchak, but an agreement could not be reached.
The Lakers hence decided to go with D’Antoni, an offensive strategist who is famous for being the Head Coach of the Phoenix Suns during the Steve Nash era, where he led the team to many playoff appearances. In the five year tenure
of D’Antoni with the Suns, the team won at least 54 games each season, Nash picked up two league MVP awards, and the team reached two Western Conference Finals. D’Antoni next moved to the New York Knicks and coached them for four seasons, resigning in the
middle of the last season. With the Knicks, he was not as successful but at least succeeded in making the Knicks playoff contenders once more. He was also the guy who gave Jeremy Lin his big break which resulted in Lin erupting on the NBA scene. Hence, it
can be easily said that point guards thrive under his system.
“Everyone knows how much I love Mike. If [D'Antoni] were to coach, it would be seamless and terrific for me, and I think the team as well,” said Nash while talking to the Times last week.
Although his accomplishments do not measure up to the legendary status of Jackson, D’Antoni is more than qualified to run the Lakers team, a team that started the season 1-4 which led to the firing of Brown, but which has since
improved to 3-4. Interim Coach Bernie Bickerstaff will continue to coach the Lakers till the time Antoni arrives in Los Angeles to take his new position. The Lakers next face the San Antonio Spurs at the Staples Center on Tuesday night.
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