The Los Angeles Lakers have been in dire need of a new head coach ever since parting ways with Darvin Ham after their playoff series opener against the Denver Nuggets.The media has been associating a number of prospects with the Lakers, and it doesn’t appear that this rumor will stop anytime soon.
The fact that additional coaches will lose their jobs in the coming weeks is one thing that will fuel more rumors. More competent head coaches will become available if playoff-disappointing teams and rebuilding clubs decide to move on.
Every eligible head coach will automatically shortlist the Lakers since they are one of the most desirable jobs in the NBA. Future Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups, who is supposedly under fire in Portland, is undoubtedly included in this.
Chauncey Billups, a possible Lakers target, might become available soon.
Following an incredible career that saw him win an NBA title and be selected to five All-Star teams, Billups was hired by the Portland Trail Blazers in 2021. But for the most part, his tenure in Portland has been unsatisfactory.
Under Billups, the Trail Blazers finished 81-165 overall and missed the playoffs three times in a row.
Since Damian Lillard was traded during the previous summer, the Trail Blazers have undergone a total reconstruction. Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix claims that “teams are monitoring” the Billups issue and that a split may be imminent.
Billups would “quickly emerge as a candidate for other jobs,” says Mannix. It’s likely that he’s referring to Los Angeles because the Lakers have one of the few head coaching openings in the league.
Of course, LeBron James is the focal point of anything Lakers-related. He must first make a commitment to the Lakers. After that, he will most likely have a significant influence on the selection of the next head coach.
From his playing days, LeBron probably has a great deal of regard for Billups. Early in his career, one of the Cleveland teams led by LeBron’s closest competitors was the Detroit Pistons, under the direction of Billups. For the first time in their remarkable careers, James and the Billups may be on the same team if he approves of a possible appointment.
