Unsurprisingly, the Los Angeles Lakers decided to cut ties with Frank Vogel after enduring one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history. And, while Vogel wasn’t to blame for how poorly built their roster was, he failed to make adjustments and make the most of his personnel.
Then again, finding a suitable coach who’s also unemployed will be an uphill battle for Jeanie Buss and Rob Pelinka. Moreover, not everybody will want to try and solve the mess they have right now.
Even so, there’s a handful of people who could actually turn the franchise around, should they come on knocking. According toformer NBA player Kenny Smith, Mark Jackson would be perfect for the job.
Kenny Smith Says Lakers Should Hire Mark Jackson, Shaq Makes A Pitch
“I don’t know if anyone can save the day. Mark Jackson, he knows how to handle that kind of environment,” Smith said on NBA on TNT. “He put the Warriors in contention of what they are. The way they play, their style of play. Steph Curry owes a lot to his career, because before Mark got there, Steph Curry wouldn’t even play in 4th quarters. We wouldn’t think he was a great player, a great defender.”
“Mark Jackson could coach the Lakers to a championship, for sure,” Smith added. “That would be a good pick. Mark Jackson, Lakers’ next coach.”
But not everybody on set seemed too convinced about Mark Jackson. If anything, former Laker Shaquille O’Neal thinks he should be the next in line. Needless to say, that would come at a steep price:
“If the Lakers offered me $25 million a year, for 4 years, I’d coach the Lakers,” Shaq said.
Simply put, there’s just no way the Lakers will even consider Shaq to be their next coach. That’s just not going to happen. But man, what people would pay to watch him call out LeBron James and Anthony Davis after every single possession.
