Mike Brown was driven out of Los Angeles after a poor start quicker than any coach in the history of the NBA. At 1-4, Jerry Buss and Mitch Kupchak fired Brown in what most people around the league have called a “panic move.” Five games is only, roughly, five percent of the season.
Things haven’t gone any better for coach Mike D’Antoni. The Lakers are 12-20 under the up-tempo style coach and only 2-10 in January. Lakers fans are now hoping D’Antoni gets the same treatment as Mike Brown; they want him fired and shipped out of town.
But fans may have to continue and hold their breath because Lakers management has come out and said they don’t plan on relieving D’Antoni of his coaching duties and won’t even “consider firing him.”
A report in the Orange Country Register has spoken to somebody within the organization and says that fans better get used to D’Antoni’s way of coaching.
“There’s plenty of heat and speculation — and plenty for Mike D’Antoni to hash out as far as better utilizing his players, including 2013 free agent Dwight Howard — but I was told Thursday the Lakers are not considering a buyout or firing of D’Antoni as head coach.”
Matt Moore of CBSSports.com, knows the Lakers are rich, one of the richest teams in the league, but not as rich as fans would like them to be. If they were to fire Mike D’Antoni, the Lakers would owe “$25 million in fired coaching salaries, before whatever they paid the guy who would replace D’Antoni.”
“Were that to be, oh, I don’t know, pick a name, Phil Jackson, they’d wind up paying half as much as their player salaries cost this season on coaching fees over the next few years. Not even the Lakers are that rich.”
Fans have been begging for roster shakeups, changes to the starting lineup, and a coaching change, but it looks like Jerry Buss won’t admit any mistakes, yet. Mike D’Antoni and his “score in under seven seconds” approach is here to stay…for now.
