5 Reasons Luke Walton Should Be Lakers’ Next Head Coach
November 28, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors interim head coach Luke Walton (left) and forward
(23) during the second quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
4. Keeping Up With the Times
There’s no question that Walton is blessed to be able to coach a roster flush with top tier talent in Golden State. That being said, he’s also shown a tremendous ability in terms of how he manages that talent. The blueprint was undoubtedly laid out for Walton by Steve Kerr last season, but there’s no question that Walton has picked up where Kerr left off and even improved upon that in some ways.
One particular thing that Walton has done with the Warriors this season is to pull back on using their “lineup of death” with Draymond Green playing center as much as they did last season. While they still embrace the idea of small-ball and undoubtedly have been trend-setters in terms of the pace-and-space style of play, Walton has also recognized his team’s greatest advantage in Green’s versatility in the context of the modern NBA and has basically found the most effective way to use it is to do so sparingly.
While the Lakers don’t have a player like Green with that special kind of talent and versatility, Walton’s recognition of how the league has changed and is still currently evolving is uncanny. He full grasps the ebbs and flows of the NBA in terms of stylistic choices throughout the league and is aware enough to pinpoint his team’s biggest advantages and how their effectiveness can be maximized. That’s a skill not many coaches possess and something that could revolutionize a young, growing team in Los Angeles.
Next: No. 3 Making Moves on The Run