Los Angeles Lakers: One of these ESPN announcers should be coach
By Ronald Agers
Jeff Van Gundy is the only coach that can bail Magic Johnson out at this point!
The big names Los Angeles Lakers throw out almost on a daily basis are to show the fans that good times are coming. The only problem is, what big names?
Jason Kidd? Nope. Tyronn Lue? He’ll probably get the job only because of his ties to LeBron. Neither have the characteristics Magic was talking about earlier in the season.
"”Since Magic has taken over, they had been hoping to get their own coach in at some point. We saw it play out in the meeting they had earlier in the year where Magic really went after Luke,” Wojnarowski said. “If they’re going to be able to go to Jeanie Buss and sell her on replacing Luke Walton, they better be trying to do it off a season where they missed the playoffs or off of a long losing streak. Because she has been fiercely loyal to Luke Walton. “That was her hire in every way, and so far she has kept management off of him. They’ve allowed Magic and Rob Pelinka to change everything there, they haven’t been able to touch Luke Walton.”"
If Magic Johnson wants a fiery coach that fits the mold of a Pat Riley, why not hire his first coaching protege when he coached in New York?
Ah, did you forget that Jeff Van Gundy started his head coaching career in New York?
Jeff Van Gundy kept up the aura of the Knicks after Pat Riley sent the fax on his way to Miami when he quit coaching the New York Knicks. It was Van Gundy that led the Knicks to their LAST Finals appearance in 1999. Oh, by the way, that was without Patrick Ewing who was out with a wrist injury.
If you don’t think this guy is tough, remember he coached Latrell Sprewell after the choking incident. If you are not scared of Sprewell, LeBron James won’t make Van Gundy bat an eyelid.
Anyone that tries to get in a fight with Alonzo Mourning is exactly the fire Magic Johnson needs.