Lakers hire Luke Walton

[Andrew]

Luke Walton to be new Lakers coach

The Los Angeles Lakers have agreed with Luke Walton to be their new head coach, the team announced Friday night.

"We're excited to bring Luke back to Los Angeles, where we feel he's going to start an outstanding coaching career," Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said in a release. "He's one of the brightest young coaching minds in the game and we feel fortunate that he'll be leading the on-court future of our team."

Walton had been serving as an assistant for the Golden State Warriors, who granted him permission to interview with the Lakers after their first-round Western Conference playoff series against the Houston Rockets concluded Wednesday.

The 36-year-old had become a hot coaching commodity after ‎posting a 39-4 record -- including a record 24-0 start -- as the Warriors' interim coach this season while Steve Kerr was recovering from complications stemming from two offseason back surgeries.

[mp3]

I can't say I am surprised here to see Luke take over, best of look to him.

[Kevin]

nope. I thought not picking up scott's option was a step up for them but hiring this guy is like taking a huge leap backwards. Fucking hire kobe and get him out of retirement so we can make corymach proud.

[Andrew]

In what way is it a step backwards?

[Kevin]

They are going to pull through and pull the trigger on somebody who had a 24-0 start WITH the Golden State Warriors who has Curry, Thompson, Iguodala, Green, and the whole Warriors team. The Lakers team composition right now doesn't even have a Curry, nor a Thompson, or heck even a Barnes.

[Jackal]

I think Luke will do great. Well, I hope he'll do great.

He was a smart passing player and personally speaking I enjoyed watching him whenever he got subbed in. He played smart, used passing angles well and did what was asked of him. I was glad he got traded to the Cavs at the end because of his large contract and terrible back but I'm glad he's back.

I would have preferred Messina myself but I'm almost equally happy about having Walton back. I wish him well & look forward to what he can do with this young bunch. Youngest HC in the NBA right now, take that Celtics.

[air gordon]

you get the yahoo sports alert on this, Andrew? haha saw this was posted minutes after the alert went through

i agree with Jackal here. they should have swung for the fences and hire Messina. Walton is somewhat of a copout since he had ties to Kupchak and Buss, who both may be gone next year.

regardless of what coach is there, this is a big offseason again for them. another draft pick (assuming the ping pong balls bounce their way) and lots of cap space.

[Lamrock]

They are going to pull through and pull the trigger on somebody who had a 24-0 start WITH the Golden State Warriors who has Curry, Thompson, Iguodala, Green, and the whole Warriors team. The Lakers team composition right now doesn't even have a Curry, nor a Thompson, or heck even a Barnes.

Byron Scott would have found a way to make that team get off to an 11-13 start...

[Jackal]

Byron Scott wins as Lakers head coach: 38
Luke Walton wins as head coach of W's in Kerr's absence: 39

Cherry picked stat? Sure. But damn Byron Stunk it up with the group he had. Playing Price over Lin, playing Ryan Kelly at all, too little Tarik Black and too much Big Roy.

We better get top 3.

[[Q]]

It would be devastating to not get a top 3 pick this year.

[Sauru]

It would be devastating to not get a top 3 pick this year.

as long as the celtics can land in the top 2 i will be happy. however knowing the celtics luck with the lotto we are going 6th

[Andrew]

you get the yahoo sports alert on this, Andrew? haha saw this was posted minutes after the alert went through

Nah, I don't get those alerts, but I did see it pop up on Twitter. I forget which outlet, a few posted it around the same time.

[NovU]

Luke Walton sounds more Hollywood than Messina. I like it. He suits the city well.

Looks like the Luke will have very promising young squad from get go if Ingram or Simmons comes. Another young Phil Jax like success and career coming for Luke? Could get interesting.

[[Q]]

Hiring messina would've been like the cavs hiring blatt. People would've been like "who?" and then would've called for his firing

[Andrew]

Magic Johnson, for one, loves the hiring and believes it will result in free agents flocking to the Lakers again.

[air gordon]

so does that mean scott and bryant were the reasons they struck out last year?

[mp3]

I think letting Kobe go out and shot whatever shots he wanted to take didn't help and then when they made it the Fairwell tour people wanted him to shoot more too.

I thought Scott could of handled the young cores minutes better at first like with Randle and Russell but I think Randle showed he has a confrontational side and Russell clearly needs to mature more and iam not just talking about the Nick Young thing as I'd read reports of coach clashing in practice with Russell claiming he acts like a 14 year old alot I thought thought yeah... he's 19 but when you look at Towns and KP you can see Scott had his hands full.

[Andrew]

The holding pattern they were in with Kobe wanting to be The Man until he retired, and Scott's shortcomings with a young roster, couldn't have done them many favours. At the same time, I'd say Magic is overselling Walton a little there.

[air gordon]

get ready for whiteside and derozan

now it's just a matter of who the assistant coaches will be. lakers can take beloved spur alum jim boylen LOL

and so much for luke taking his father's advice...

[benji]

Blatt interviewed for the Knicks' job last week and was on the list of potential targets for the Los Angeles Lakers' vacancy before the Lakers quickly came to terms with Luke Walton.

Lakers miss out on their third straight Cavs coaching hire.

At least Luke Walton's last playing time was with them.

[shadowgrin]

I'm predicting Luke Walton to be Del Harris at best, Kurt Rambis at worst.

Hiring messina would've been like the cavs hiring blatt. People would've been like "who?" and then would've called for his firing

Kobe's retired already, no one in that Lakers roster can be considered a superstar to pull out a 'LeBron' on their new coach.