Lakers News: Next Head Coaching Hire Focused on One LA All-Star in Particular?

L.A.'s tandem of superstars has come up short in recent seasons with various coaches leading the charge.

Mar 18, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Atlanta Hawks center Clint Capela dunks the ball against Los Angeles Lakers All_Stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis. | Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Generally when it comes to LeBron James-themed team-building, clubs tend to prioritize LeBron James.

For the Los Angeles Lakers, however, that calculus seems to be shifting, at least this summer. Los Angeles is planning for the future as well as the present, when it comes to hiring the team's next head coaching rental, according to Shams Charania and Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

Given that the 20-time All-Star combo forward (who has a player option for the 2024-25 season) is the NBA's oldest player at age 39, it certainly seems sensible for L.A. to look towards its other future Hall of Famer, 31-year-old All-Star center Anthony Davis.

"The franchise’s next coach will be tasked with guiding both the end of the LeBron James–Anthony Davis era — potentially a two-year window — and then the next era of Lakers basketball led by Davis," Charania and Buha write. "Los Angeles is looking for a coach who can grow with the franchise for years to come, according to team and league sources, placing a premium on maximizing Davis’ greatness, the current returning players and the element of high-level player development."

"As one source briefed on the situation said, 'This should be more of a hire about AD than LeBron,'” The Athletic scribes concluded.

The club has already gone through three head coaches in the six seasons James has been under contract, having just fired Darvin Ham following a two-year stint.

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