With the Lakers spiraling out of control and their hopes of making the playoffs starting to diminish, the job security of head coach Luke Walton is a topic that’s expected to be discussed in the coming weeks.
Walton, who’s in his third season as Lakers head coach, was originally hired by the team in April of 2016 to replace Byron Scott. As Marc Stein of the New York Times noted in a recent story, many figures around the league have questioned whether Walton will keep his job after such a disappointing season in Los Angeles.
“The prevailing assumption in league coaching circles remains that Walton will almost certainly be dismissed after the season, followed by the Lakers resuming their trade quest for Davis. But denying Walton an opportunity to at finish out a season wrought with drama and distraction since James’s first dribble in purple and gold would be cruel and needless,” Stein wrote in his article.
The Lakers were widely expected to be a playoff team upon bringing in LeBron James to a promising young core last July, but various injuries to James, Lonzo Ball and others are partially to blame for this derailed season. The team has halted conversations with Carmelo Anthony‘s representatives and are said to be seeking a veteran center on the open market, leaving some league observers confused with their current direction.
Los Angeles currently holds the 11th-best record in the Western Conference at 30-35, 6.5 games behind the No. 8 seed Clippers with 17 contests left in the season. They recorded their fourth straight loss at the hands of Denver on Wednesday night.
Yahoo’s Chris Haynes reported Thursday that the team agreed to a soft 28-to-32 minutes restriction with James that could result in him sitting on the second end of back-to-backs, a sign of the team knowing the postseason is effectively out of reach. Should the blame of this disappointing season fall squarely on the shoulders of coach Walton?
Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts!
To be fair luke had alot to deal with this season. I understand if they fire him. But no one can say he fully the blame to this mess of the season. I wonder how many coaches could put out a good team with all the injures, bad defense and bench not coming to play.
Luke Walton was hired to bring the Warriors brand of basketball to the Lakers before they changed GM’S and brought an old and slow Lebron to LA. He’s in a no win position and he will be wrongly fired for something out of his control.
Imagine thinking signing Lebron or getting rid of the GM that gave Mozgov and Deng 4 year ridiculous contracts was a bad thing.
Not saying that at at, but having Oberon usually messes up anything a team wanted to do without him. For example, in 2014 before Lebron was in Cleveland, the cavs wanted to install David blatt as head coach and he was going to implement a style of play similar to his unselfish, ball movement heavy system. That is until lebron showed up because lebron changes the offense for any team he is on, for better or for worse. Many coaches can’t coach in a system that relies on the hope that your star player or star player b will bail you out.
Again thats just flat out wrong. The Cavs were the joke of the leauge. Losing the finals the first year Lebron came back was acceptable. The next year when LeBron had Blatt fired they won the finals. Talent matters more than the coach. Walton is fine, the Lakers have been killed by injuries
The Lakers haven’t played good defense ever since Walton got hired. That’s the main reason he won’t be back.
Bingo
The main reason is Bron Bron and Tragic are clueless. This team has less direction than the Suns and that is hard to do.
cut mebron and keep the coach!
This disaster is squarely on Magic and Pelinka
The season is a wash for 3 reasons.
1. LeBron’s injury.
2. AD Trade Mess.
3. The band of misfits they brought in to surround LeBron for 1 season.
Guys they could have reached terms with on 1-yr deals better than their current cast: Demarcus Cousins, Brook Lopez, Trevor Ariza, Tyreke Evans, JJ Redick, Wayne Ellington, Seth Curry, Jamal Crawford, Mike Scott, Jeff Green, Jabari Parker.
Starters: Lonzo-Redick-Lebron-Kuzma-Cousins
Bench: Rondo, Hart/Curry, Evans, Parker, Lopez
DAMN!
By the time Cousins got into the lineup, the Lakers would have already been so far back they would have still imploded.
The Lakers need to make LeBron a player/coach. It’s the only way LeBron will get along with the coach and the Lakers made their bed when they signed him. Once a train wrecks, it really can’t get much worse.
He gone.
Feel bad for Luke, really had the team playing well before the LeBron and Romeo injuries on Christmas day. They were forth in the West and a top 10 team defensively. Then the LeBron camp starts to complain then the idiot dad of Lonzo starts complaining and the trade deadline fiasco. The young guys don’t trust LeBron now after the AD mess. LeBron has got most of what he has wanted since he got here. As a Lake r fan this is what I was afraid of when we signed him and no other superstars want to play with him other than possibly Kyrie. It would be great if the Lakers could trade him for smoother young talent and the have room to sign to max players.
Luke needs to go, he’s just not the right guy and really wasn’t doing well before Lebron. It’s not all Luke’s fault though, Magic surrounded LeBron with a terrible group of misfits. LeBron missed a lot of games, without any other star the Lakers weren’t making the playoffs with LeBron missing all those games. The young guys are making some strides, but they are young and inconsistent.
Luke is not to blame his not the one playing. The player are happy because they were about to be traded. Why is LeBron is wanting another superstar. He did said his the player in the world. He is getting paid well. It’s magic fault trying to trade half of the team. Of course their not happy would magic be happy if his in their place? I’m a big Lakers fan but there going to win NBA FINAL CHAMPIONSHIP. EVEN YOU PUT PHIL JACKSON OR PAT RILEY AS THIER COACH WITH JAMES.
Should have showed up in Philly instead of sending his guys. Would have at least made the playoffs.
LeBron is getting older. He is not the same player as even 5 years ago. He needs more help to win. With that said….He is a coach killer. He will get Walton fired. Too bad Walton is a very good coach. Sixers maybe?
No way please!!! We have Brown why on earth would we want a useless guy like Luke, he hasn’t done anything for this team in 3 years he just lives out of his dad’s name, UCLA sounds good for him, NBA too big for him really.
Walton should leave on his own accord and tell the Lakers’ management and King James where they can put their purple and gold. After doing this, he should drive 30 minutes to Westwood and start his next career as the coach of UCLA.
By all means! Just don’t come back to staples center! See ya!!
Honestly, last season he coached a team full of rookies, young guys and journeymen to 35 wins in the west. Not an easy thing to do. This year they were 20-14 on Christmas day, again in the west, not an easy thing to do. The FO not getting any shooters is why they fell apart. Draft pick #25- Wagner. Next pick at #26, pretty darn good 3pt shooter Landry Shamet. Instead of Lance and Beasley and Javale, resign Brook and sign Ellington and Mike Scott. Instead of 12mm on KCP, resigned Julius Randle who is a younger better TT. Hindsight is 20/20 but those seem like logical pieces around Lebron. Fire Magic/Pelinka and hire David Griffin as new GM. Bring on Ty Lue as new HC. That’s a start.
1) Bring back Kareem
2) Suit up Magic
3) Ask Jerry West to come back and suit up
4) See if George Mikan is still alive, suit him up whether he is or not
5) Next year run the newfangled “super slow” NBA offense with 5 Laker Hall of Famers
6) Make Jack Nicholson the coach
Makes about as much sense as what they have done so far. Jeannie, I will work as GM if you only ask me.
I like Luke and have always stuck up for him but I can’t say I blame them if they fire him. Really think he’s done terrible in every aspect of coaching this season honestly. Part of that is the roster the Lakers brought in so he didn’t have a lot to chose from so he shouldn’t take all blame. Maybe give him another shot with a better roster. But if they do fire him I’d like to see Mark Jackson or Brian Shaw get the job. I heard Doc Rivers might look to make a jump but I doubt that. If he was available yes I’d love that but if not than the one of Shaw or Jackson would be a good hire for them.