Lakers: Two More Former NBA Head Coaches Linked to LA
The Lakers need a lot of things this summer, but a head coach is right near the top of the list. LA officially fired Frank Vogel yesterday and now, the search begins for a new voice in the locker room.
Three well known names have already been in the rumor mill this month: Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder, Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse, and Michigan basketball coach Juwan Howard.
LA would have to trade for Nurse and Snyder as they're both currently under contract with their respective teams.
The LA Times' Broderick Turner added a few more on Monday.
"Steve Clifford, the former coach with the Orlando Magic, Terry Stotts, the former Portland Trail Blazers coach, and Darvin Ham, an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks, are names that have been mentioned among league insiders."
In addition to his time in Orlando, Clifford also served as the Charlotte Hornets, and for one year, the Charlotte Bobcats, from 2013 to 2018. Clifford compiled a 96-131 record with the Magic across three seasons. The team made the playoffs two of the three years he was there.
Stotts is best known for coaching the Portland Trail Blazers for nine consecutive seasons. During his time in Portland, his teams surpassed 50 wins three times and appeared in the 2019 Western Conference Finals.
As a former coach of Damien Lillard, LaMarcus Aldridge, and CJ McCollum Stotts also has some experience in coaching high profile players.
Ham is not a household name, but has been an assistant coach with various teams since 2011. In fact, he began his coaching career with the Lakers (2011-2013). He's currently a member of Mike Budenholzer's staff in Milwaukee. Ham also was on the 2004 championship Pistons team that bested the Shaq-Kobe Lakers.
