When Jason Kidd left his role as an assistant coach to become the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks, the Los Angeles Lakers needed to fill a vacancy on Frank Vogel’s staff.
Los Angeles wasted little time bringing in a replacement. Five days later, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported the Lakers were finalizing a deal with David Fizdale to take Kidd’s spot.
Fizdale was a head coach for the Memphis Grizzlies and New York Knicks, but both positions lasted just a year, and Fizdale didn’t have a coaching gig during this past season.
But when multiple teams around the league had various coaching openings, teams like the Indiana Pacers reportedly gave Fizdale a more lucrative offer than L.A. to join their bench. Still, Fizdale opted to join the Lakers, and he has experience with players like LeBron James.
James and Fizdale won two titles together in Miami during each of their tenures there, and now they have the opportunity to repeat that fortune again in L.A.
Along with James, Fizdale also coached dynamic big man Chris Bosh in Miami. On ESPN’s “The Jump”, Bosh explained what Fizdale will bring to the Lakers:
“He’s gonna bring, of course, that coach who loves to get into film, knows a lot about the game. He brings a presence that’s great for a locker room as well because he loves nothing more than basketball. And him being an L.A. guy, coming back home to be able to coach for the Lakers, I mean that’s a dream come true, for sure. And he’s filling a void left by Jason Kidd, him moving onto a head coaching spot, I’m sure that they will need another presence to fill in that bench. And I think for Fizdale, he’s one of the best guys out there as you guys know. We talk all the time, and he’s ready, he’s eager, he’s excited. And I know he’s gonna do a fantastic job with Vogel’s staff out there in L.A.”
The Lakers have also reportedly interviewed former Washington Wizards head coach Scott Brooks, but since Fizdale’s hiring filled up all remaining slots, L.A. could be preparing for a staff member to depart to a new position if it’s interviewing high-profile candidates like Brooks.
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