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.
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.
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.
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.
