OT: LA Lakers Interested in Izzo

Submitted by FauxMo on

I know MSU is not our rival, and I know talking about MSU in any capacity makes me/us like RCMB, and I know I will catch tremendous heat for posting this, but...

 

ESPN is reporting that the Lakers are interested in Tom Izzo (among a host of other college HOF-type coaches) for their coaching vacancy. Probably won't happen, but I for one would be happy to see him go.

 

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/15317976/los-angeles-lakers-byron-sco…

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King Douche Ornery

April 25th, 2016 at 10:02 PM ^

I'm going to upvote you for using "among" rather than the HOTTAKE "Amongst" that so many internetters and sports radio hacks think is cool.

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Cali Wolverine

April 25th, 2016 at 11:05 PM ^

...I have been listening to ESPN radio in LA all day today, they are talking all about the coaching vacancy and his name has not come up once from any of the Lakers "experts". Regardless, nobody is going to want to coach the Lakers until Jimmy Buss is no longer making decisions...total case of father creates great company and next generation loser son destroys everything Dad built in the blink of an eye.

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Tater

April 25th, 2016 at 11:56 PM ^

None of us know whether it's "BS" or not.  It would be a great match, though.  LA can provide a financial "offer one can't refuse" while Izzo can tell the GM he has the personnel to win now but they need to be tougher and play harder.  

Both sides would have something the other wants.  Besides,. after the MTSU debacle, Izzo might be ready to listen to an offer now.  I really thought his NBA "window" had closed; he would be a fool not to at least listen.  Besides: he knows the fickle Sparty fanbase could easily turn on him if he has a "bad year" or another early exit from the Tournament. 

I think he'll take an interview in LA very seriously.

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brad

April 26th, 2016 at 12:45 AM ^

It is complete fucking bs.
Sparty will never turn on izzo, and he has very little to offer the Lakers.
I'd be just as happy as anyone if he left state, but this is bs.



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wolpherine2000

April 26th, 2016 at 12:32 AM ^

I don't understand why anyone would leave a position like Izzo's for the NBA.  You would be trading your status as a beloved and unquestioned member of the community (with a huge salary) for at most a 2 year stint working for a stack of primadonnas who make more than you in front of a fan base that will expect a championship in your second year.

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rainingmaize

April 26th, 2016 at 7:36 AM ^

Not that it was the right decision, but he was beloved in Ames, and was basically their Harbaugh. Sometimes, the draw of the highest level of play in the brightest spotlight is to much for one to turn down. I'm not saying he should leave, or that he will be offered, but I could see a situation where this could prompt him to have an early retirement from coaching college. Even if Izzo leaves for the NBA, he will always be loved in East Lansing.

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FGB

April 26th, 2016 at 2:05 AM ^

That ship sailed. Izzo might feel he's almost too old, I imagine all of the NBA has already come to that conclusion.  Especially given how poor Hoiberg and Donovan have been this year (and they're young), I doubt anyone wants to give a college coach as old as Izzo the required 3-4 years to figure things out.

And yes, Donovan has been poor this year, read any legit NBA follower and they'll tell you how underachieving that Thunder team is.

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rainingmaize

April 26th, 2016 at 7:29 AM ^

Has Donovan really been poor in OKC? They have exactly met expectations, and in any other year, they would be championship favorites. Also the Hoidberg Bulls are old due to Gasol and Noah aging a bit, and to Rose's 300 year old knees.

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bluesalt

April 26th, 2016 at 8:33 AM ^

Not Hoidberg. Secondly, he did an absolutely terrible job coaching the Bulls this year. That team has a lot of talent, and he couldn't figure out how to use it. They weren't a championship club by any means, but they should have had no trouble making the playoffs. That said, I think Izzo would be a very good hire for the Lakers. Even if he only coaches six years, that would be a reasonably long tenure for an NBA coach. The best players there are all very young, and they need a coach to work on skills and discipline as much as anything else. I hate the man, but those are his strengths. They don't need someone who's an NBA tactical genius yet -- those guys help you win close games, whereas the Lakers are just trying not to get blown out. I'd probably take Kevin Ollie first, because he's younger, has more NBA cred, and is still close to Kevin Durant and Byron Westbrook, with whom he played his final NBA season. KD is a free agent this year (and maybe next year), and Westbrook next season. If Ollie could lure one or both of those two to the Lakers, and is able to mold their youth into NBA talent, the Lakers could turn around pretty quickly.

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East German Judge

April 25th, 2016 at 10:05 PM ^

Tom has nothing more to prove at the college level. He has had an amazing run, and shown the whole world that he's an outstanding coach, and the only thing left is for him to be at the next level and continue to excel even more. /hope izzo reads MGoBlog and falls far it.

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MichiganExile

April 25th, 2016 at 10:06 PM ^

Oh god yes. This has to happen. Watching that midget get eaten alive by some of the worst NBA fans in the world would be better than anything Hollywood has made in decades. 

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Mojave Gold

April 25th, 2016 at 11:25 PM ^

No they're not.  But he doesn't have to go through Tennessee to get there so I guess it's possible.

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somewittyname

April 25th, 2016 at 10:43 PM ^

Izzo is definitely an awesome college coach and very well-suited for it. Harbaugh is just a damn good football coach, regardless of pro or "amateur."  In fact, I'm pretty sure Harbaugh could out coach Klinsmann when it comes to futbol.

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Qmatic

April 25th, 2016 at 10:33 PM ^

Come on, you think Russell, Randle, and Ben Simmons want to get screamed at?

Izzo is a great college coach, but is not suited for the NBA. Maybe 20 years ago but not now

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lilpenny1316

April 25th, 2016 at 10:34 PM ^

List anyone who's won a title, is in the HoF, or an assistant coach for a top NBA team.  This probably isn't thread-worthy because Izzon won't even be on their short list.  Who in their right mind wants any of Nick Young/DeAngelo Russell II?

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LSAClassOf2000

April 25th, 2016 at 10:56 PM ^

The Lakers are looking for their fifth head coach since Phil Jackson left in 2011. Mike Brown and Mike D'Antoni were fired before Scott, and interim coach Bernie Bickerstaff also had a short run. The Lakers waited to fire Scott while two top candidates for head-coaching positions took other jobs: Tom Thibodeau landed in Minnesota, and Scott Brooks was hired by Washington.

I mean, I stand by what I said on Twitter this morning - I'd do the Running Man Challene on the Diag if he ever left, but Izzo is a college basketball coach through and through, in my own view. I don't know that he would work out that well in the pros, not without a radically different style, which he is unlikely to change at 61 years old. 

As for the Lakers' coaching woes, it's easy to forget that we're now talking about five coaches in five years. I am sure Phil Jackson comes back for eleventy billion or something in that range.

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kehnonymous

April 25th, 2016 at 11:34 PM ^

I thought we were better than posting non-news from ESPN.  There is zero-point-zero chance that the Lakers are seriously pursuing Izzo.  Moreover their front office has always kept things very close to the vest so you won't hear about who they actually choose as their coach until everyone else does.

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