Blame it on the rings.
Thanks to Phil Jackson’s eight-figure salary the next man to helm the ship for the Los Angeles Lakers is guaranteed not to earn more than half of what PJ was banking. Mike Bresnahan reports that the Lakers have put a $3-5 million cap on the salary of L.A.’s next head coach.
Given the names that have been floating around you can pretty much guess just who will get what offer if it comes to that. On the $5-million end of the spectrum you’ve got your Rick Adelman and Jeff Van Gundy price tag while Brian Shaw tips up the scale on the $3-million side.
Just when we’ll get a name to accompany the salary remains to be seen. Though it should be noted Dr. Buss says the team is “very close” to concluding the coaching search. How close is “very close”? Most estimate that interviews will be conducted next week with the potential of Jackson’s successor being named in early June.
Of course the coaching salary cap comes with a caveat. Sure, the Lakers are trying to cut costs what with $87-million already committed in player salaries for next season. The twist is that there is also the concern of an NBA lockout looming.
While we don’t know for sure when the NBA season will get underway after this one has concluded. We do know with 100% certainty that Phil Jackson has broken the coaching piggy bank.