Lakers Rumors: Team granted permission to speak with Monty Williams
By Tom Wade
With the search for Luke Walton’s successor underway after he mutually agreed with the organization to leave his role as head coach, there are some Lakers rumors that the team has been granted permission to talk to a possible replacement.
Recent Los Angeles Lakers rumors will get some fans excited about their head coaching search.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Lakers have been granted the opportunity to talk to Philadelphia 76ers assistant coach Monty Williams.
The report also suggests that the two parties are set to initially talk over the phone due to Williams’ current team’s involvement in the playoffs.
Los Angeles is wasting no time in looking for Luke Walton‘s replacement.
In this circumstance, it is likely to start with a phone conversation and/or Lakers officials flying to meet with Williams. He wouldn’t be traveling to Los Angeles in the middle of a playoff series. https://t.co/8figZGuxT6
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 13, 2019
Something that’s also a possibility is that Lakers GM Rob Pelinka could fly out to meet with Williams to get a potential deal done due to his current situation of being in a playoff series. Pelinka has been leading the search for a new head coach, and it’s said that Williams is a very strong candidate.
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Should Willams take up the offer of coaching the Lakers, he would bring an excellent resumé with him. The 47-year-old coached five seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans and made the playoffs in his first and last season with the team before he moved on to become the Oklahoma City Thunder’s associate head coach.
In 2016, after the unfortunate passing of his wife, Williams left Oklahoma for San Antonio where he took up a role in the front office. His greatest achievement came later that year when he was a part of Team USA’s gold medal coaching staff, a team that included current Lakers star, LeBron James.
There is no doubt that if the Lakers can strike a deal to get Williams on board, then they will almost certainly have an elite coach to guide them moving forward. It would also be a huge statement that the team is willing to do what it takes to make sure they get a coach who is well respected and seasoned.
However, Williams isn’t the only target the team has in mind as it has been reported that former Cleveland Cavaliers head coach and former Laker, Tyronn Lue, has been identified as a ”front-runner”.
Not only is Lue a former player but he also has ties to LeBron, after he coached him during James’ time in Cleveland. The pair lifted the Larry O’Brien trophy in 2016 during James’ incredible stretch of eight consecutive NBA Finals appearances.
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Personally, I would love to see Williams be the Lakers coach, and if Pelinka can finally do the right thing and show he is capable of doing his job, the chances of a deal being done are very very likely.