Warriors grant Lakers permission to interview Luke Walton
OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Golden State Warriors have granted permission to the Los Angeles Lakers to interview Warriors assistant coach Luke Walton for their coaching vacancy.
Steve Kerr, who was named the NBA Coach of the Year on Tuesday, revealed before Wednesday night's Game 5 at home in Golden State's first-round series with Houston that the Lakers will be able to meet with Walton as soon as a break in the Warriors' schedule arises.
"We told Mitch that he's perfectly welcome to talk to Luke as soon as the series is over and we have a little break," Kerr said of Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak.
NBA coaching sources say Walton, after spending eight-plus seasons as a player with the Lakers, is a prime target for L.A. in its search to replace Byron Scott, who was fired Sunday night after posting a 38-126 record over the past two seasons.
Yet sources stressed to ESPN.com that San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Ettore Messina is also getting very strong consideration. Messina had a decorated coaching career in Europe before serving as a Lakers consultant in 2011-12. Not only is he a known entity to Lakers officials, he also has spent the past two seasons alongside Hall of Fame-bound Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.
The Lakers, sources say, are seeking a coach who can not only change their on-court fortunes and connect with their many young players but also help their free-agent recruiting efforts. Team officials, however, have made it clear that they are not prepared to grant full personnel control to whomever they hire, which is a policy that applied in L.A. even when Phil Jackson was on the bench winning five of his 11 championship rings as a coach.
The Lakers, sources say, also plan to interview former Cleveland Cavaliers coach David Blatt and have strong interest in UConn coach Kevin Ollie, who grew up a Laker fan in Southern California and has strong relationships from his playing days with stars known to interest L.A. in free agency this summer and beyond, such as Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.
Kupchak, who is widely believed to be heading L.A.'s search, is a known admirer of North Carolina's Roy Williams and Michigan State's Tom Izzo from the college ranks, though neither is thought to be looking for a move to the NBA at this point in their respective careers.
NBA coaching sources say that the Lakers also have interest in ESPN's Jeff Van Gundy -- who is known to be at or near the top of the Houston Rockets' wish list -- as well as ESPN's Doug Collins.
Walton, 36, has become a hot coaching commodity after posting a gaudy 39-4 record as the Warriors' interim coach this season while Kerr was recovering from complications stemming from two offseason back surgeries.
Walton finished eighth Tuesday in Coach of the Year balloting for his efforts and, sources say, has likewise drawn serious interest from the Sacramento Kings and New York Knicks as those teams continue their own coaching searches.
Speaking of Walton at Kerr's Coach of the Year press conference Tuesday, Warriors general manager Bob Myers said: "This guy deserves a lot of credit, too."
