Lakers: GM Rob Pelinka Sets Rough Timeline for Hiring a New Head Coach

Rob Pelinka would like to have a new head coach in place sooner, rather than later.

Plenty of questions surround the Lakers this offseason. Especially when the offseason starts in early April, rather than May or June. One thing is crystal clear, the Lakers need to hire a new head coach after firing Frank Vogel this past Monday. 

In a news conference on Monday, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka thanked Vogel for his time with the franchise. He also discussed with reporters a rough date for when the team would like to have a new head coach in place.

“I think it’s going to be a very methodical process, and I think the principles here are not to pick an end date and say, ‘Hey, we have to have someone by this date.’ I think we want to find the right person. I think that’s the most important thing. I think all things considered, it would be great to have someone in place by the draft."

Despite the Nick Nurse and Quin Snyder rumors that came to light prior to Vogel's firing, Pelinka stated that, as of Monday, the Lakers hadn't begun their process of identifying and interviewing candidates. 

“But our process will be thorough and methodical, and we haven’t even begun to put together a list or discuss who the replacement is. We wanted to make a commitment to finishing the season strong last night, which we were able to do. And not skip steps, and kind of turn to those decisions once the season was over starting today.”

Rushing into a new marriage doesn't make sense for LA. Especially since there's a high probability that the next coach of the Lakers will once again have the difficult task of making a roster that has Russell Westbrook, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis work. 

That coach will also have to navigate a front office landscape that's unique to say the least.