Following Darvin Ham’s departure on Friday, speculation over who will be the next Los Angeles Lakers head coach has intensified, and one former NBA general manager has thrown a surprising name into the mix this weekend.
Following months of rumors, the Lakers made a long-awaited move this week and fired head coach Darvin Ham. The move comes after the team finished 47-35 in the regular season and was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Denver Nuggets in just five games.
The job is one of the most difficult in sports because of the Lakers’ incredibly high profile, not only in basketball, but in all sports. Nonetheless, winning in Los Angeles can launch careers, and there will undoubtedly be a lot of interest in the role.
In the previous few days, NBA veteran JJ Redick and current Los Angeles Clippers head coach Ty Lue have been linked to the position. However, during a Saturday morning broadcast of “Sportscenter,” former New York Knicks general manager and current ESPN NBA commentator Scott Perry introduced a new name into the conversation that may surprise some.
“The name Mark Jackson also comes to mind for me. “Mark Jackson is an excellent communicator, has a high basketball IQ, and did a fantastic job in Golden State developing Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green,” Perry said. “I helped those individuals recognize their potential and put them on the path to become champions. And Mark will not be overwhelmed by the lights of Los Angeles, and I believe he will get along well with both LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Which is vital in this case.”
Jackson has not coached in the league in ten years, after a schism with the Golden State Warriors’ front office resulted in his unexpected resignation after three seasons. He then went on to play a key role on ESPN’s NBA broadcast crew for much of the time he has been out of the league.
Over the last decade, he has been mentioned for a variety of positions and has interviewed for a couple, but he has never appeared to be near to returning to an NBA bench. over his three seasons with Golden State, he had a 121-109 record and was a standout for the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks over his 17-year career.
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