A longshot coaching candidate whom LeBron and AD would love
When it comes to realistic candidates for the Los Angeles Lakers’ head coaching job, some of the names being mentioned most are Doc Rivers, Quin Snyder and Juwan Howard.
But one name that seems to be flying under the radar is one who would not only likely excite LeBron James and Anthony Davis but also be the best option.
The biggest reason this name isn’t being discussed as much is that it seems like a longshot, and perhaps it will turn out that he won’t even be an option.
But if this man would have any interest in leaving his current team and coming to L.A., he would be a major improvement over the job Frank Vogel did this season.
Nick Nurse
Nurse had been an assistant coach for the Toronto Raptors for five seasons when he was given their head coaching job for the 2018-19 season after Dwane Casey left.
Around the same time Nurse got promoted, the Raptors essentially swapped DeMar DeRozan for Kawhi Leonard.
It all came together for them in 2019. The Raptors surprised many by overcoming a 2-0 deficit in the Eastern Conference Finals versus the Milwaukee Bucks, then they defeated the dynastic Golden State Warriors to capture their first-ever NBA world championship.
According to Broderick Turner, the Lakers’ two superstars are enamored by Nurse.
Via Los Angeles Times:
“Nurse, who led the Raptors to the NBA championship in 2019, also has a few years left on his deal and no one from around the league thinks Toronto will let him leave. Nurse signed a multiyear contract extension in 2020 with two years still remaining on his current deal.
“As one person with knowledge of the situation said, “there hasn’t been anything substantiated by way of any discussion from any parties.”
“Nurse is represented by Klutch Sports, which also represents Lakers stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, both of whom have told friends that they like how Nurse coaches.”
Ever since Leonard left Toronto in the summer of 2019, the team has executed a quick rebuild, and behind Pascal Siakam and Rookie of the Year candidate Scottie Barnes, it is back in the playoffs as the fifth seed with a real shot of upsetting the fourth-seeded Philadelphia 76ers.
Given the Raptors’ rosy situation and Nurse’s contract, it seems like there’s no chance he would leave and relocate to the Southland.
But if he ever did, he would be the best candidate for the Lakers’ job.
Having coached Leonard, who is likely tougher to coach than his introverted, stoic persona would suggest, Nurse has the experience needed to direct James and Davis.
The fact that he has won an NBA title would also give him instant credibility in L.A., a sports metropolis that measures success only by world championships and nothing else.
When the Raptors won it in 2019, they ranked fifth in both offensive and defensive rating, and they overcame opponents with the help of one of the NBA’s most potent fast breaks.
A Lakers team that is starving for a return to glory as long as James remains with them would readily welcome all those qualities.
Nurse isn’t the only possible candidate who the four-time MVP is highly interested in. According to another report, James would be “enthused” by former Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson getting the job.
Could Nurse’s Klutch connection make the seemingly impossible a reality?
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