It looks like the Los Angeles Lakers will be looking for a new head coach for the next season. Per Ramona Shelburne of ESPN…
Mike D'Antoni has resigned as Lakers coach, source tells ESPN
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) May 1, 2014
For days, D’Antoni wanted his option year exercised by the team. The Lakers continuously did not budge and, as a result, he has resigned from his position.
D’Antoni came in as the Laker head coach (instead of Phil Jackson as we all know by now) after Mike Brown was fired five games into the 2012-13 season. He has clashed with many players on the team, including Dwight Howard (who has since departed to become a Houston Rocket) and Pau Gasol. I did feel he was dealt a bad hand as the Lakers in the last couple of years have been riddled with injuries. But I also feel he didn’t make the best of what he had as guys like Jordan Hill and Chris Kaman got inconsistent playing time (basically 40 minutes in one game and DNP the next).
Now the Lakers are really going to get a fresh start. The only signed Lakers this coming season are Kobe Bryant, Robert Sacre, and Steve Nash.
D’Antoni finished with a 67-87 (.435) record with the Lakers. He also had stints with the Nuggets, Suns, and the Knicks.
Ko says
Seems to me he knew he was going to walk the plank and wanted to make the jump himself.
That means his last two jobs in NY and LA the guy QUIT.
See ya!
Glove says
WOW. Lakers will have a new coach.This will affect free agency and possible Pau Gasol remaining with the Lakers.
Shaun says
AMAZING!!!!!!
Oh man … so happy
On to the next one ….
1. Lionel hollins
2. Alvin gentry
3. Ron adams
4. Byron scott
5. Kareem!!!!
Robert says
Wow – so happy – this is fantastic news
What am I going to talk about now?
Oh yea – there is that other guy : )
Ko says
Kobe and Pau are parting somewhere in my town Newport Beach tonight!
Now we need a Portland win and today at. 98 degrees is Christmas!
Shaun says
Lakers keep gasol , keep hill, sign lowry, hire d casey as coach and if possible get melo ….. I know he shoots a lot but that would be a super entertaining team if possible
AusPhil says
Is this the best Laker news since al the FA signings before 2012-13?
Vasheed says
A little surprised at the resignation. Considering how hated MDA has been though, this news probably going wash over like a wave of euphoria in Laker fan land.
Triangle fan says
Do the lakers still owe him for this coming year or does a resignation void that? I think it would
JohnnyP says
Confirmed on the Lakers site.
I didn’t realize how little we had locked down for next season. I hope we bring swaggy P and Sacre back and get some sort of big man. Then we can play half-court and save our old men from injuries.
No more run and gun no matter what or who. I am very pleased.
GOOOoooOOOOOO LAKERS!
david h says
darius: we blame you. you question if lakers should bring d’antoni back; asked and answered.
now we just need you to question whether jim buss should relinquish his position as vice president in charge of basketball operations and we can all be happy campers……too much? i beg to differ.
go lakers
harold says
schadenfreude, is the term here i think.
surely there were things beyond his control, but when Gasol starts to argue with you publicly, you have problems (not that PJ never did, but it never came across the same way).
wow.
chibi says
i hope the lakers sign no-nonsense euro coach ettore messina.
minorthreatt says
Man, I posted about this last week, but never did I think D’Antoni would quit if he didn’t have his option picked up. I figured he’d tough it out for $4 million and then they’d let him walk after next year. I guess the thought of what he was gonna have to do to get that $4 million was just too much. (And it would have been ugly.)
Forget about the Lakers’ next head coach. The real question is, after NY and LA, can MDA ever make $4 million in the NBA again?
Ko says
Magic excited. RT @MagicJohnson: Happy days are here again! Mike D’Antoni resigns as the Lakers coach. I couldn’t be happier!
LT mitchell says
I am embarrassed at how happy I am over the news.
carlpuk says
Ok….so here we go let’s just hope Lakers will get a coach suitable for them…go lakers…
Rey Moralde says
I am the bearer of good news.
(Not really, I just happened to be on the computer when this thing broke.)
R says
Hard to feel bad about this bit of news.
Nope, can’t do it.
MannyP says
Stunning news. Well, he certainly did the FO a favor by going away. Now we can move on to speculate about FAs and trades. Certainly changes the possibility of bringing Gasol back – if that is what the FO intends to do. Maybe even Kaman. Lots to digest here.
AusPhil says
I have to agree with some others here: I am yet to stop smiling. I feel a little bad about that, but it can’t be helped.
Now just get a guy who will help attract FAs. And maybe have a chat to Kobe BEFORE announcing things. Not saying he should have the final say but some discussions can’t hurt.
Ollie, Byron, Hollins… they’re on my list (at least to have a look at them). Maybe wait to see if a playoff coach get fired. And I’d forgotten about Messina….
Anonymous says
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So happy. A chance to play defense, and mabye win a championship.
Lionel hollins would be my first choice.
rfen says
Surprised he’d walk away from 4 mil, but maybe that’s cuz I shop at Walmart. Not sure it means the Lakers are headed in any better direction. What does it suggest when now even lesser coaches are walking away from the disast… I mean franchise? Who even wants to coach the team? Or play for the Lakers if anyone else wants them? We don’t even know what kind of coach the FO wants. We’ll see.
Ko says
Rhen
Lakers are giving him a portion of his salary.
Does anyone want to join me to buy a giant sign to hang as staples.
PLEASE MIkE DON’T LEAVE!
KenOak says
@rfen
“What does it suggest when now even lesser coaches are walking away from the disast… I mean franchise?”
This seems like the wrong take on this…
He probably stepped down because of one of two reasons:
1- He was going to get fired and was offered the chance to leave on his own terms.
2- Next year will be another rebuilding year and he didn’t want to stay on for only the one year and then get canned at the end of the season.
This certainly changes the FA outlook for the team next year. Pau possibly stays for less money and Kaman may even be persuaded to stick around? I’ve never felt more excited about a coach leaving than this moment though.
scotch69 says
I hope this doesn’t mean that Gasol is coming back
Simonoid says
Look who’s prophetic now:
Simonoid April 28, 2014 at 9:55 pm
MDA can ask all he wants. In the end, he has zero leverage. I can’t see the team picking up his option. If anything, this could turn out to be a smart play if Mitch is able to sway him into resigning and forfeiting all that salary.
bryan S. says
MDA gone. My favorite Laker of all time, James Worthy, to represent at the lottery.
Great day. Kevin Ollie!
Avidon says
This means absolutely nothing. There are no marquee coaches available on the market, and next year we will have a similar roster of has-beens & D-Leaguers while Kobe chases MJ’s career point totals.
Remember what Kevin Ding said..
“Everything goes out the window if LeBron James opts out of his Heat contract and is interested in the Lakers this summer, but otherwise the Lakers plan to piece a roster together again next season around Kobe Bryant and save their cap space for 2015 free agents such as Kevin Love, LaMarcus Aldridge, Rajon Rondo, Marc Gasol and maybe James.”
Bonio. says
Regarding Magic, I’m not sure that the actual worst coach in Lakers’ history, who quit on the team after 16 games, has any standing to talk shit about Mike D.
James says
After seeing so many fans wanting Byron Scott as next head coach….convinced that although we have the biggest fan base in the NBA, we also have the dumbest.
JD says
Man, this is somewhat of a surprise given previous reports. It is however a welcomed surprise. Moving forward however, I am not on the Byron Scott bandwagon. Nothing against Byron but I don’t think going a re-tread coach is the way to go. Yes, Byron has gone to two finals. But he has also clashed with the star players on the team in Kidd and Irving. Just because he is in “the family” doesn’t mean he’d be an ideal fit. Regardless of whoever is hired, there must be one vision. In other words, we can’t just hire a coach who Kobe agrees upon. Kobe has two years left on his deal-which is great–but it can’t just be a guy to satisfy for those two years. This hire must be made with some semblance of longevity in mind.
Tra says
.. James Worthy, to represent at the lottery.
—
Hopefully, ‘Big Game’ can provide us with the luck that we need in order to move up and select within the top 3.
Dan says
So who are fans going to blame next year? Oh right, Jim Buss of course.
Lil pau says
Wow. Please lakers, go A list instead of sentimental….
Stunning news. Has to be a spin– no way this is just him walking away over the 4th year option.
Not sure if this is a coincidence, but season ticket holder renewal deposits due next week…
Ko says
Kings up 2 to 1 in game 7 after being down 3 to. 0.
Fat lady sings sure applies.
5D2 says
I can’t believe how happy I am about this news. MDA is the least likable Lakers’ coach of all time. He just looks unprepared, and improvising during games.
BTW, I blame him for Kobe’s injuries. Just so glad the nightmare is over.
go lakers
melcountscounts says
Does Magic have to be the first one to comment and tweet on everything? Not too classy.
PLEASE hire an up and coming young coach, not another retread….although Kobe probably makes that impossible.
Mid-Wilshire says
So. D’Antoni reportedly walked after the Lakers FO refused to pick up his option for a 4th year. In other words, the Front Office stood their ground. I like that. This shows a sense of resolve and principle that many of us have been waiting to see. This is a good thing, I believe.
And this means that this will be a very exciting summer. Specifically, we have the following to look forward to:
1) A new coach (Glory. Hallelujah.);
2) A lottery draft pick;
3) A hopefully renewed Kobe;
4) A new coach;
5) A chance to attract some top notch Free Agents including one or two of our own (namely, Gasol and Hill);
6) An almost entirely new team (at least, I would think, 3 new starters);
7) Hopefully an emphasis on defense and rebounding; and
8) A new coach.
When’s the last time that the Lakers had a summer like this?
BTW, did I mention that the Lakers will have a new coach?
Mid-Wilshire says
Renato,
Some of the commenters on this site have brought up the name of Ettore Messina, the legendary European coach. You follow European basketball far more than the rest of us (in addition to following the Lakers and the NBA). Can you tell us more about him? Should he be on the Lakers short list? What are his accomplishments? I believe he was an assistant coach and / or advisor to Mike Brown when Brown was the Lakers head coach. So the FO certainly knows him. And he knows them. Could he possibly be on the short list? What can you tell us?
KenOak says
@Mid-Wilshire
Awesome post!
Lil pau says
Just spoke to a friend connected to the lakers on the business side– apparently season ticket renewals are at historic lows at this point. If this is part or the reason, expect a new hire (or at least rumors) in the next 5 days.
Lil pau says
Ps what’s the deal with the supermean quote from magic? Kind of classless… ‘I couldn’t be happier’.
Ko says
It’s been a couple of hours.
Is MDA still gone?
Lil Pau
Also TW rating for down over 50% for the year.those are big numbers and effect the income big time.
Kevin T says
Good thing Stern is not around to veto the resignation.
Kevin T says
Because anything that’s good for the Lakers is not so good for the rest of the owners.
Jayz says
Best way to close a good day for the city of LA:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyPrjXCtqUE
Chearn says
“Clap your hands if you feel like a room without a roof! I’m HAPPY!”
One should not celebrate the misfortune of another….
So, I’ll simply clap my hands.
Ko says
Interesting
Sterling legal team says he will not sell team and is taking the actions by NBA to court.
Doc had promised he will not return if Sterling is still the owner next year .
Soooooo 1 plus 1 is. Ahhhh do the math!
As for Magic’s tweet. Sorry but I stopped paying attention to Magic a while ago. Great player but he has been bouncing stuff around way to much.
Just a suggestion to Magic. Time to shut down that twitter account.
Fern says
Annnnd thats why we dont know anything …
Altemawa says
just saw this news and it made me happy. now we’re moving forward. lets get our pick and our coach. wish shaw was available or thibs.
rfen says
Mid-Wilshire> “D’Antoni reportedly walked after the Lakers FO refused to pick up his option for a 4th year. In other words, the Front Office stood their ground. I like that. This shows a sense of resolve and principle that many of us have been waiting to see. This is a good thing, I believe.”
It may turn out positive, but I’m not as optimistic. No reason the Lakers would pick up D’Antoni’s option unless they were committed to him for that length of time. Without more information, that’s what it shows. They’re not committed to what they’ve been trying to put together recently. We still don’t know what they’re doing or where they’re going, or that they even know.
Some people seem to want to think that this was a decisive move by the Laker FO, but where’s the evidence of that? What I’ve seen reported is that D’Antoni walked away because the job being offered him was just too unattractive, and even though he really liked the young players he was developing. Unless there’s evidence to the contrary, the Lakers were prepared to spend another season with the same coach.
I’ve been critical of D’Antoni all along, and I don’t think he was a good choice for this team at this time, but I don’t see his resigning as a feather in the Lakers’ cap. It’s just another bump in the road, and until we see evidence of it, the car’s still spinning out of control.
Patrick Mertz says
Bonio. April 30, 2014 at 8:44 pm
Regarding Magic, I’m not sure that the actual worst coach in Lakers’ history, who quit on the team after 16 games, has any standing to talk shit about Mike D.
Best comment on this board, a CLASSIC!!!
Chearn says
I beg to differ 16 games aren’t a barometer to measure worst coach ever, no more than than the winning percentage of Interim Coach Bickerstaff was to ascertain the best coach. However, 164 games are sufficient to determine that Coach D’Antoni was out of his league with the Lakers.
Patrick Mertz says
Chearn May 1, 2014 at 3:59 pm
“I beg to differ 16 games aren’t a barometer to measure worst coach ever, no more than than the winning percentage of Interim Coach Bickerstaff was to ascertain the best coach. However, 164 games are sufficient to determine that Coach D’Antoni was out of his league with the Lakers.”
Yea, like D’Antoni woefully underachieved with that talent loaded roster. No one was going to win with that lineup. And at least D’Antoni didn’t quit after 21 games, unlike Tragic.
Chearn says
Is it supposed to be an accomplishment that MDA didn’t quit until after he collected 8 million? Not including the additional 2 million he’ll get for departing prior to getting fired.