It appears the Los Angeles Lakers have headed into the next stage of their head coaching search.
Over the last few weeks, they have reportedly interviewed several candidates, including some young assistant coaches and a couple of former head coaches who are well-known and well-established.
Now, the number of candidates who the team is considering for the job has been narrowed down.
Via Lakers Daily:
“Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach Darvin Ham and former Portland Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts reportedly have advanced to the final round of interviews for the Los Angeles Lakers’ head-coaching job.
“Golden State Warriors assistant coach Kenny Atkinson is reportedly also a finalist for the job.”
Milwaukee Bucks assistant Darvin Ham and former Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts are among candidates who've advanced to the final round of interviews for the Los Angeles Lakers’ coaching job, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 20, 2022
Sources: Finalists for the Los Angeles Lakers head coaching job: Bucks assistant Darvin Ham, Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson and former Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts. Next stage of interviews are expected to take place in-person in Los Angeles.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 20, 2022
Ham is a young assistant who is reportedly highly regarded as head coaching material around the league and has never been a head coach at the NBA level.
Atkinson and Stotts, on the other hand, have spent several years each as a head coach.
Atkinson led the Brooklyn Nets for four seasons from 2017 to 2020, while Stotts was at the helm for the Portland Trail Blazers from 2013 until last season.
L.A. fired Frank Vogel, who had been its head coach for three seasons, at the end of the regular season last month. Vogel guided the team to the 2020 NBA championship.
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