Monday, November 12th, 2012 at 7:35 am  |  155 responses

Los Angeles Lakers Choose Mike D’Antoni Over Phil Jackson


by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni

Most Laker fans too busy chanting “We want Phil!” to notice Mike D’Antoni’s claim that he would be the perfect fit in Los Angeles, as everyone quite reasonably assumed the Lakers were about to hire Phil Jackson for a third time.

Whoops!

After Jackson’s demands were deemed a little too much by the front-office, Mike D’Antoni has signed a mulit-year contract with the Lakeshow. The deal will reportedly pay D’Antoni $12 million in three guaranteed seasons, and includes a team option for the fourth.

Per the team website:

Lakers spokesman John Black confirmed on Sunday night that the team has signed Mike D’Antoni to a multi-year contract. The team is expected to have a press conference to announce the deal most likely on Tuesday or Wednesday of the coming week. According to Black, Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss, executive vice president Jim Buss and general manager Mitch Kupchak were unanimous that D’Antoni was the best coach for the team at this time. Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash both expressed support for the idea of playing for D’Antoni, who was Nash’s coach in Phoenix when the point guard won consecutive MVP awards in 2005 and 2006.

“After speaking with several excellent and well-respected coaching candidates, Dr. Buss, Jim and I all agreed that Mike was the right person at this time to lead the Lakers forward,” said GM Mitch Kupchak. “Knowing his style of play and given the current make-up of our roster, we feel Mike is a great fit, are excited to have him as our next head coach and hope he will help our team reach its full potential.”

In addition to Phil Jackson’s steep demands — a salary in the $10 million/year range, reduced travel for road games, more say in personnel decisions — the Lakers apparently felt that the Triangle Offense wouldn’t be the best way to maximize a roster featuring Steve Nash and Dwight Howard, after the team struggled to adapt to the Princeton Offense.

So, shockingly, here comes Mike D’Antoni and his Seven Seconds or Less attack.

Let it never be said that the Los Angeles Lakers are a predictable organization.

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  • Zhamu

    Well, this is surprising. My confidential source in Finland already told me they’re gonna sign the Zen Master.

  • mcruz7

    whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy?????

  • Feez_22

    PRINGLES!

    http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/89/Pringles_chips.JPG/250px-Pringles_chips.JPG

    He may not have been to the finals yet but we all should know by now that he’s clearly about them Chips…

  • Deedre

    The Lakers don’t even need a coach if they play like they did the last few games. Not until the playoffs….

  • bringbackthesonics

    the only reason they signed him is they think he can bring a trophy this year but when he doesn’t they’ll regret not signing phil

  • robb

    Sh*t…

  • ends1

    Travashamockery

  • Bravo

    Damn looks like they gonna run n gun things now

  • danpowers

    poor lala-land

  • Haha

    Hahaha that’s in Finland………it’s always a lie…………when You here it’s no lie no lie no lie.

  • zogs19994

    YOU HIRED THIS GUY…..OVER PHIL JACKSON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • GeeCyrous

    It’s Pick and Roll time in LA LA land.
    I would’ve preferred Zen MAster but I think D’Antoni will do just fine.

  • windsurfer-sp

    It will be interesting, if he simply plays according to the pieces he has and utilises them well, there must surely be hope.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    D’Antoni’s offense suits Steve Nash perfectly. The triangle doesn’t really fit with a traditional PG. They went with the best coach for the offense they need to run given the roster they have. Defensively, there isn’t a coach who can make Steve Nash any better at this point in his career. Dwight will do what he does. Kobe, Pau and Metta will do the best they can. They had to go with a coach who can do the best job with them offensively. D’Antoni was that guy.

  • http://twitter.com/stepfdelaghetto Stepfan Raiford

    Mike D’Antoni, another coach/basketball philosophy that Kobe won’t respect. Mike got this job because Steve Nash was the odd man out in Mike Brown’s Princeton offense. With D’Antoni run and gun style Steve will fit right at home. A lot of catch and shoot for Kobe which I don’t think he’s comfortable with. Kobe’s one on one offense is great but in order for this system to work Steve Nash needs the ball in his hands. Pau, Dwight, and Nash all will thrive but now Kobe is the odd man out in the offense. Bernie Bickerstaff, best Interim Head Coach of all time will be missed.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    If they don’t get to the Finals, this will end up being a bad hire and Jim Buss will have made yet another bad decision since taking over for his father.

  • JML-G

    am i the only one who thinks if when Amare gets back, he cant fit in with Knicks like they (and me too) wish he can, a trade Pau-Amare could happen!?

  • SirGrey

    Why if Dwight is gonna do what Amare did and Pau is more versatile ?

  • The Seed

    Why, Why, Why, Why, Somebody please tell me this a cruel joke by Jim Buss. Its a reason the Knicks are a better team right now.

  • Perry the PlatyPteranodon

    Actually I think Kobe has a lot of respect for D’Antoni, and would buy into D’Antonis system. I believe he was Kobes favourite player growing up in Italy.

  • elmaar

    No doubt Phil would’ve been a safer bet, but D’Antoni possesses many qualities as a coach.
    In 2007 if not for the Stoudemire suspension against the Spurs the Suns would’ve took the chip home.

  • http://twitter.com/stepfdelaghetto Stepfan Raiford

    D’Antoni over Phil was a terrible decision..

    1.With D’Antoni defense is optional.

    2. If D’Antoni couldn’t handle the big stage in NY…why would he all of a sudden be able to handle it in LA?

    3. If they fired Mike Brown for not being able to get this team to a
    championship level, why in the hell would you hire a less proven guy?

    4. D’antoni’s offense is good when it’s spread with 3point shooters. Last I
    checked LA is a mediocre 3 point team with two 7 footers in the lane, and a three point specialist in Jodie Meeks who gets no burn. (When did MWP get the green light to shoot so many 3′s? 32% from trey land)

    5. If you’re trying to convince Dwight Howard to stay…hiring a guy less proven than Mike Brown and Stan Van Gundy will keep him?

  • spit hot fiyah

    the funny thing here is that under brown they actually pretty good offensively (numbers wise) and terrible defensively

  • Fat Lever

    So they are going to try and implement a SSOL offense with a 38 YO PG, a 2 guard who, including the playoffs has played in 19+ seasons, a somewhat plodding PF, and a C with a bad back. I’ve got to to see how this turns out.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    this was the best choice for their team.

  • http://www.facebook.com/canyoufinddoublej Joey Nelson

    Kobe is going to average 40 this season.

  • surety

    The fact is that Phil has always burned bridges with front office throughout his entire career. The Laker FO no doubt felt that they were getting a shakedown from Phil. Huge salary, limited travel, completely new coaching staff, wants power in FO roles and they don’t even really like him. Plus he didn’t really leave gracefully either, having been swept by the Mavs in 2011.

  • daBIZ

    He also won 11 NBA championships.

  • shockexchange

    L.A. fired Mike Brown after 5 games to hire a castoff from the Knicks? That’s who they were in such a hurry to hire? It’s clear that L.A. spoke to Phil Jackson before pulling the trigger on Brown. Then they botched the negotiations. It’s clear to the Shock Exchange, D12′s agent and the rest of the L that the L.A. mystique is simply that. This is nothing more than a Mickey Mouse organization that has benefited from having “exceptionally more talent” than the rest of the L. Had Shaq never sought the synergy of playing ball and making movies in L.A., there would be no L.A. mystique.

  • justin05

    1. Dwight Howard is the best defensive player in the league so we aren’t hopeless on that end of the floor. Howard >>> Stoudemire on D believe that.

    2. NY is not the team the Lakers are. They didn’t have Nash either.

    3.Less proven? Why, because Mike didn’t have Lebron on his team?

    4. This is your one point that makes the most sense, I think Kobe can step up on the 3s but we will have to bring bodies in a little if we want to be efficient. Gasol and Jamison can hit the 20 ft jumper very nicely. Artest should save his energy for D and pounding the ball in the paint.

    5. This comment is irrelevent. Dwight is staying., especially w/ D’Antoni as the coach. 30 points a game every night.

  • justin05

    For real. If the Lakers trade Gasol for Amare then they better get Shumpert in w/ the deal.

  • justin05

    Agreed. Especially when Phil was making those other demands..

  • http://www.facebook.com/jay.brodes Jay Brodes

    i am all for uptempoing the offense but i hope this does not kill kobe in may/june! no defense. i like showtime coming back but no bench and little shooting..i hope this works!!! always wanted to see mamba in an uptempo offense!

  • justin05

    And to respond to your original “thesis” statement…D’Antoni over Phil was not a horrible decision..If anything, it was a much more well thought out hiring than Mike Brown a season ago.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    i would not have had any issue with Phil, obviously he’s the greatest coach of all-time. But i assume D’Antoni is the coach who can get the most out of their personnel. — Check out this stat, When Steve Nash and Mike D’Antoni were together from 2004-08, the Suns led the NBA in PPG, FG%, and Ast-TO ratio

  • BuenoWayno1

    the clippers approve of this move…

  • justin05

    Yeah D’Antoni can get the most out of their current roster and he can definately get more for less equity/money. The Lakers are already paying Brown 8 mil over the next 2 years so they can’t just keep spending money. It was a little sudden but we have a a home stretch that we need to do well in and Mike wanted the job. Spurs will be a great test for my team tomorrow too, any word on Nash’s return?

  • roscoe

    The $64 question is “will pringles’ offense work in d’grind style of d’playoffs w/ this group?”

  • roscoe

    do you still believe in santa 2?

  • roscoe

    & poor ny, woodson is melo’s puppet. nothing more; nothing less. lol.

  • LeroyShonuff

    I don’t think the Lakers D will be that bad, but their bench will absolutely be HORRIBLE!!! Mike already has a known history for his dis-stain of Jordan Hill, plus his historically position of not using his bench at all!!!!! Let’s not forget what he did in phoenix. The suns signed Marcus Banks to be the defensive back up pg with Boris having ball handling responsibilities, and he benched Marcus, Upped Nash mins and never played Jalen Rose. He wears his players out. How he manages the bench will be a the biggest level of concern for the Lakers going forward

  • http://twitter.com/niQknacks niQ

    Lol I knew it! Called this after the Lakers’ first game.. haha. But to be honest, this cannot be any worse than Mike Brown. SSOL with Nash and Dwight could be interesting.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    still a week or more out i would assume. he might make his return the same day D’Antoni makes his debut

  • Comment_System

    lol @ less proven than mike brown.

  • Comment_System

    He won’t fit in, but the lakers arent dumb enough to pull that trade. I hope Amar’e does get traded though.

  • Comment_System

    Please google any comments kobe has ever had about mike d’antoni.

  • JackPackage

    In other word’s: The Lakers opted to utilise D’Antoni’s uptempo system with an ancient PG/SG combo, a reckless SF, a lumbering PF and a C with a bad back and no offensive game to speak of and no passing skills, rather than trying to run the triangle with: a small, weak, PG who can’t defend and a C that has the IQ of a bag of rocks. I have to say, they probably made the right decision, considering the skill set/experience Nash has with D’Antoni’s style.

  • parsonsonson

    like ur optimism laker fan but the pieces are limited

  • pposse

    so let me get this straight..the lakers are cool with paying over like 60 million dollars on the luxury cap, but do not want to pay the greatest coach of all time 10-15 mill per year?! haha this world is twisted. Dwight would flourish more in the triangle than in some ssol nonsense. This only proves that Dwight is not a back to the basket post ball player, he is limited to pick and rolls and will forever suck balls when compared to the elite of the elite great centers from the past. Phil Jackson and Tex Winters could have changed that, but no, good luck LA LA land haha yall jagged hard!

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    *dies laughing*

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