Los Angeles Lakers: Frank Vogel hiring reveals who maybe in charge

The Ty Lue disaster may be directly linked to the Rambis couple

The record scratching noise that Lakers fans heard this week was the coaching negotiations between Tyronn Lue and the Los Angeles Lakers front office, led by Kurt Rambis, who was at the helm of the talks.

After Monty Williams allegedly “shocked” the Lakers and signed a deal with the Phoenix Suns, the Lakers continued to botch the coaching search by basically disrespecting the candidate they “really wanted” by offering him a shorter term contract than his counterparts.

That offer coincidentally linked him to the length of the rest of LeBron James‘ contract. As a result, negotiations stalled.

According to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, here’s what the Lakers can do to clean up this mess.

Breaking down what Stephen A. Smith is saying is Monty Williams was given a five-year deal by the Phoenix Suns. Last year, the New York Knicks inked a five-year deal with David Fizdale. Neither of these coaches led teams to the NBA Finals much less led their team to a championship. Reportedly, the Lakers offered Lue a three-year deal at $6 million per season.

Now let’s talk about who the Lakers wanted on the bench as their choice and not Lue. It seems the Lakers wanted Jason Kidd on the bench as well as Kurt Rambis as the lead assistant. Now let’s put this in perspective.

Kurt Rambis comes to a championship coach for an interview to coach the Los Angeles Lakers and he works under him as the lead assistant. Plus he wants Jason Kidd, who was one of the leading candidates for the job on the staff as well.

Lake Show Life talked about Kidd’s qualifications weeks ago, and research would tell any qualified executive that this would be a complete mess. So let’s talk Kurt Rambis.

Kurt Rambis filled in for the Los Angeles Lakers as head coach in 1999 after Del Harris got fired during the lockout season. Phil Jackson eventually took over as head coach in the offseason. Then Rambis was bumped up to assistant general manager. Let’s hold to this period of time. It’ll all connect at the end.

Rambis’ only head coaching gig was in Minnesota, where he lasted half of his contract with a putrid 32-132 record. Now, if you think the rest of Kurt Rambis’ resume is stellar, Lakers fans can reach out to two New York Knicks fans on the Lake Show Life staff. Those two are myself and Kenneth Teape. We both witnessed Rambis’ performance in the debacle that was in New York.

He was the lead assistant to Derek Fisher, who lasted a year and a half and Jeff Hornacek, who was even worse. Over those two coaches tenures when he was the lead assistant the Knicks were 60-104.

As for Linda Rambis, she is the voice of the Los Angeles Lakers. Let’s all get used to it and accept it. Right now, Jeanie Buss’ business plan is unknown at this point but the advice of Ms. Rambis is important to her.

In some circles, some GM’s and NBA executives call her a “shadow owner”. Now if Linda Rambis has Jeanie Buss’ ear, Kurt Rambis has to have a power piece to get next to as well. It’s somebody he has followed his entire coaching career.

It’s somebody lurking in the shadows that the fans and media are missing here.