When it comes to realistic candidates for the Los Angeles Lakers head coaching job, some of the most frequently mentioned names are Doc Rivers, Quin Snyder and Juwan Howard.
But one name that seems to be flying under the radar is one that would likely not only excite LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but would also be the best option.
The main reason this name isn’t discussed as much is because it seems like a longshot, and it might turn out that it won’t even be an option.
But if this man was interested in leaving his current team and coming to LA, he would be a huge improvement over the job Frank Vogel did this season.
Nick Nurse
Nurse was an assistant coach for the Toronto Raptors for five seasons when he received her head coaching job for the 2018-19 season following the departure of Dwane Casey.
Around the same time Nurse was promoted, the Raptors essentially traded DeMar DeRozan for Kawhi Leonard.
Everything came together for her in 2019. The Raptors surprised many by coming down from a 2-0 deficit against the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals, then defeated the dynastic Golden State Warriors to win their first-ever NBA World Championship.
According to Broderick Turner, the two Lakers superstars are in love with Nurse.
About the Los Angeles Times:
“Nurse, who led the Raptors to the NBA championship in 2019, also has a few years left on his contract and nobody across the league thinks Toronto will let him go. Nurse signed a multi-year contract extension in 2020, with two years remaining on his current deal.
“As one person with knowledge of the situation said, ‘Nothing has been confirmed through discussions by any parties.’
“Nurse is represented by Klutch Sports, which also represents Lakers stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, both of whom have told friends they like how Nurse trains.”
The team has undergone a rapid rebuild since Leonard left Toronto in the summer of 2019, and behind Pascal Siakam and rookie-of-the-year nominee Scottie Barnes is back in the playoffs as the fifth seed with a real shot at fourth to anger-set Philadelphia 76ers.
The story goes on
Given the rosy situation of the Raptors and Nurse’s contract, there doesn’t seem to be a chance he would leave and move to the Southland.
But if he ever did, he’d be the Lakers’ best candidate for the job.
Nurse has coached Leonard, who is likely more difficult to coach than his introverted, stoic personality would suggest, and has the experience needed to manage James and Davis.
The fact that he won an NBA title would also give him instant credibility in LA, a sports metropolis that measures success by world championships and nothing else.
When the Raptors won it in 2019, they ranked fifth on both offense and defense ratings, defeating their opponents with the help of one of the NBA’s strongest fast breaks.
A Lakers team hungry for a return to glory as long as James stays with them would readily welcome all of those qualities.
Nurse isn’t the only possible candidate the four-time MVP is very interested in. According to another report, James would be “thrilled” if former Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson got the job.
Could Nurse’s Klutch connection make the seemingly impossible a reality?
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