Something that has been brought up throughout the Los Angeles Lakers coaching search is the importance of superstar Anthony Davis. With LeBron James at the end of his career, it is Davis who will take the mantle as the face of this franchise so the next coach must be able to establish a great relationship with the big man and properly utilize him on the court.
As many wondered whether or not James has a say in who will be the next Lakers head coach, there are some who feel that it is Davis who should be included in the discussions. The Lakers are reportedly looking for someone who can be a long-term fit and Davis is the superstar who will be here long-term.
And it sounds as if the Lakers agree with that line of thinking as well as Davis has reportedly been a significant part of the franchise’s talks on who will be the next head coach, via ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski:
The Lakers have been committed to making All-NBA forward Anthony Davis a significant part of the conversation on the next head coach and want to make sure he’s aligned with how a new coach plans to feature him on offense and defense, sources said.
Davis is coming off his best season as a member of the Lakers, being an All-NBA Second Team and an All-Defensive First Team selection while playing in 76 games. He reminded the basketball world just how special he is on both sides of the floor and is an ideal piece for the next Lakers coach to build around.
Who that next coach will be is still unclear, but the Lakers have apparently zeroed in on UConn head coach Dan Hurley, who led the Huskies to back-to-back National Championships. This past season, Hurley turned UConn into one of the best defensive teams in the NCAA, ranking in the top-10 in both points per game allowed and opponent’s field goal percentage.
Having a player like Davis at his fingertips could allow Hurley to do so much if he were indeed to jump to the NBA and take the Lakers job. But whoever the choice is, that person will have the backing of Davis.
Anthony Davis prefers James Borrego as Lakers next head coach?
One question that will now be asked as Anthony Davis seems to be heavily involved in the Lakers coaching search is who his choice would be. If recent reports are to be believed, that man could actually be James Borrego.
The New Orleans Pelicans assistant is rumored to be Davis’ preferred choice due to his experience as a head coach as well as being familiar with Davis as the two briefly overlapped with the Pelicans.
