Lakers Hire New Head Coach for G League Affiliate

Los Angeles' complete coaching overhaul continues apace this offseason.

Dec 21, 2021; Las Vegas, NV, USA; South Bay Lakers forward Nate Pierre-Louis (00) defends against Delaware Blue Coats guard Jarron Cumberland (34) during the fourth quarter at Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers have finally made a fresh choice for the latest head coach of their El Segundo-based G League affiliate squad, the South Bay Lakers.

Sources inform Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN that South Bay is hiring longtime assistant coach Zach Guthrie. Guthrie has previously served on the staffs of the Washington Wizards, Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz.

Guthrie had worked under then-Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder (now with the Atlanta Hawks) from 2016-20, with Dallas Mavericks then-head coach Rick Carlisle in 2020-21, and most recently for the Wizards under then-head coach Wes Unseld Jr. starting in 2021. Unseld was fired midway through 2023-24, and was replaced by assistant coach Brian Keefe. This spring, Keefe was promoted from an interim role into the team's permanent head coach.

As a head coach, Guthrie guided the Wizards' 2022 Summer League squad.

Per the National Basketball Coaches Association, Guthrie also worked as an assistant video coordinator for the San Antonio Spurs, under head coach Gregg Popovich, and a manager of advanced scouting for the Orlando Magic.

South Bay went 26-24 during its 2023-24 season, under prior head coach Dane Johnson. Johnson was canned last month, after just one year on the job.

Read More: South Bay Lakers Fire Head Coach Dane Johnson

The G League is the NBA's developmental minor league system. Currently, three players are inked to two-way agreements with Los Angeles: small Blake Hinson, forward Armel Traore, and center Colin Castleton. Two-way players are toggled between the Lakers proper and the South Bay Lakers.

Three players are confirmed to have been inked to Exhibit 10 training camp agreements with L.A., and will most likely join South Bay on affiliate deals: power forward/center Kylor Kelley, point guard Quincy Olivari and guard Jordan Goodwin. All 15 standard roster spots for L.A. and all three two-way spots are occupied, but theoretically players could be waived if Lakers brass really likes what it sees from one of these guys.

Perhaps most importantly, Guthrie will be tasked with developing the play of raw rookie point guard Bronny James, the 19-year-old son of returning Lakers All-Star forward LeBron James. Bronny James was selected with the No. 55 overall pick in this summer's 2024 NBA Draft after a lackluster one-and-done run with USC. He underperformed again in Summer League play with Los Angeles. Johnson had served as the club's head coach during that tenure, and was fired shortly thereafter.

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