Lakers Rumors: Two Current Assistants Linked to LA Head Coaching Vacancy

CBS Sports' Sam Quinn included Sam Cassell and Jared Dudley as potential head coaching candidates.

As the Lakers continue their head coaching search, three current coaches have been featured prominently in the rumor mill: Quin Snyder, Nick Nurse, and Doc Rivers.

At the moment, all three are currently under contract with their teams. If that remains the case, their respective teams would have to give permission for any of them to explore becoming the next Lakers head coach. The Lakers would also need to compensate a team in the form of draft picks in order to bring in a coach under contract.

In an article earlier this month, CBS Sports' Sam Quinn listed off a laundry list of potential candidates. Two former players named in the article, who are assistants at the moment, were intriguing.

Sam Cassell

Cassell has been an assistant coach in the NBA since the 2009-2010 season. He's been a mainstay on Rivers' staffs dating back to Rivers' tenure with the Clippers. Quinn outlined why Cassell could merit consideration from the Lakers.

"Very few of them have the credibility to lead a veteran locker room like this one. Sam Cassell might be an exception. He is a widely respected former player who has spent years working under Doc Rivers, and as James knows well from his time with Ty Lue, former Rivers assistants tend to do well in top jobs."

Jared Dudley

Dudley was a member of the Lakers 2020 championship team and by all accounts, has a close relationship with Lebron. Which is exactly why Quinn thinks he could also be part of the Lakers head coaching search.

"If he [LeBron James] had his pick of first-timers, though, he'd likely advocate for Jared Dudley. The longtime role player served as a confidante to James and Davis in his two seasons as a Laker, and James publicly grumbled when Dudley wasn't re-signed this offseason. He went on to take an assistant job under Jason Kidd in Dallas. It's probably too early for Dudley to get a head coaching job, but he'll get one eventually, and if buy-in from James and Davis is paramount here, he'll at least be discussed internally."

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