As interim head coach, Walton guided his star-laden squad to a 39-4 record, winning Western Conference Coach of the Month awards for October and November. “I was fine with that”. They’ve quickly found their replacement.
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Walton and the team reached agreement on a multi-year contract, general manager Mitch Kupchak said. Shelburne reported Walton interviewed for the job in Oakland on Thursday, so it didn’t take long for the Los Angeles brass to be sold on him.
“I’m incredibly happy for Luke”, Kerr said. He resumed his assistant coaching duties when Kerr returned for full-time coaching duties in late January. “It’s obviously tough to leave this place, but it’s one of those opportunities you can’t pass up”. He’s one of a kind. I was thinking this is going to drag out a week or two, and they’re going to want to re-interview Luke. “We’re going to miss him desperately”. After back injuries sidelined head coach Steve Kerr earlier in the season, Walton stepped in and shepherded the the team to a record 24-0 start. However, Walton’s job in LA will not be an easy one as he will now be put in charge of nearly completely rebuilding the Los Angeles Lakers franchise. The Lakers made the announcement Friday night, April 29, 2016, five days after firing Byron Scott. “We have a chance to do something very special”.
Walton even finished eighth in the voting for NBA’s Coach of the Year award, which went to Kerr.
Walton, 36, played for the Lakers from 2003-2012, and won two championships with the organization.
Los Angeles Lakers’ hunt for a new coach has finally come to an end. Gentry left last summer to become head coach in New Orleans, after which Kerr promoted Walton to the top assistant post.
If Fisher could somehow guarantee to the Lakers that he could convince Kevin Durant to sign with the team this summer, they’d nearly certainly let him be their head coach. “He’s obviously a guy we want around”. Walton will have a very different situation in Los Angeles, with a team of young and inexperienced players.
Actually, Walton substituted Kerr in the Warriors after Kerr the best coach of the year in National Basketball Association had to be out of the floor for some time due to back surgery.
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The Lakers’ future appears to be in the hands of youngsters, D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle.
