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Report: Doc Rivers among multiple possible candidates for Lakers head coaching job

Doc Rivers Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

With the Los Angeles Lakers reportedly on the cusp of a search for a new head coach, a couple of possible candidates have emerged.

Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder was linked to the Lakers in late March, and it seems like he could be interested in taking over in L.A.

Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers has reportedly also been mentioned as a possible Lakers candidate. Of course, Rivers is one of the more celebrated coaches in the NBA. He won a title with the Boston Celtics over a decade ago and helped dig the Los Angeles Clippers out of the doldrums of the Western Conference.

“There is, however, a healthy dose of skepticism around the NBA that Snyder would have interest in a hypothetical Lakers marriage,” Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report wrote. “Snyder would appear to be just as prominent a candidate to one day succeed [Gregg] Popovich in San Antonio, even if Popovich endures on the Spurs’ sideline for the 2022-23 season.

“Doc Rivers, the Philadelphia 76ers’ head coach, is another active bench leader being mentioned by league personnel as a potential Lakers candidate.”

Prominent Lakers figure Kurt Rambis was reportedly mentioned by multiple league figures as someone who could become the team’s next head coach. However, he’s “unlikely” to make a return to the sidelines.

“Multiple league figures contacted by B/R referenced the possibility that Lakers senior basketball adviser Kurt Rambis returns to the sidelines after several previous coaching stops in the league, including an interim stint as Los Angeles’ head coach,” Fischer added. “However, Rambis is said to be an integral figure in the front office and unlikely to resume a coaching role.”

Two other potential candidates that have previous ties to the Lakers were also mentioned.

“As the Lakers are expected to focus on candidates with previous experience, former Los Angeles head coach and current Warriors assistant Mike Brown, who hired Snyder for that 2011-12 campaign, is known to have interest in departing Golden State for another opportunity in a team’s first chair,” Fischer wrote. “The same is said for Steve Clifford, most recently the Magic’s head coach from 2018 to ‘21, who served as a Lakers assistant in 2012-13. It’s also widely believed that Los Angeles, as has been the franchise’s custom, will prioritize coaching candidates with past connections to the organization.”

Despite Frank Vogel still being the team’s head coach, it seems like the Lakers are already looking for his replacement.

The 2021-22 season has been disastrous for the Lakers. The offseason acquisition of nine-time All-Star Russell Westbrook was supposed to help the team compete for its second title in three seasons. However, nothing has really gone according to plan, and L.A. has had to deal with injuries to Anthony Davis and LeBron James. Los Angeles currently holds a 31-47 record.

Right now, the Lakers are the No. 11 seed in the Western Conference and are not projected to make it to the play-in tournament. If they fail to get into the play-in tourney, fans can expect a rather swift sacking of Vogel.

Should that happen, a hunt for a new skipper will be on for the Lakers.