LOS ANGELES_Through the elation within the organization about signing LeBron James, one question hovered over the Los Angeles Lakers for the last two months.
What does this mean for coach Luke Walton?
So far three of the Lakers' top executives have made clear that they believe in Walton's ability to properly guide the team. And they won't panic, they say, even if the Lakers start poorly.
"We're excited for Luke and his coaching staff," said Magic Johnson, the Lakers' president of basketball operations. "I think that Luke has been working very hard to figure out how to utilize all the pieces. Luke's a winner. He's been a winner as a player, he's a winner up at Golden State. He'll be a winner here too. People think it's a problem when you have a lot of talent. No, we want a lot of talent. I think a coach wants a lot of talent. He'll know how to put them in a winning position."
Through all of the Lakers' changes, Walton's most vocal supporter has been Jeanie Buss, team president and controlling owner. She remains confident that Walton, 38, is the right coach for the Lakers.
"Luke is such a natural, he is," Buss said in a July interview with the Los Angeles Times. "His ability to connect with people. I'm not concerned at all. ... He's wise beyond his years. He'll be terrific. The players like to play for him. I'm looking forward to seeing them work with him."
Both times James previously changed teams in free agency, his new team took time to jell. When the 2010-11 Miami Heat lost eight of their first 20 games, panic ensued. Questions arose about coach Erik Spoelstra's job security, though the Heat stayed with him.
Miami finished the season 58-24 and made it to the NBA Finals. James and Spoelstra won titles together in 2012 and 2013.
The 2014-15 Cleveland Cavaliers, James' new team after four seasons in Miami, lost three of their first four games and seven of their first 12. They too made it to the NBA Finals, losing to the Golden State Warriors.
Conscious of an adjustment period, the Lakers aren't planning to put pressure on Walton if the team falters early.
"As I was talking to Luke ... we said don't worry about if we get out to a bad start," Johnson said. "We have seen that with LeBron going to Miami, and we have seen that when he came back to Cleveland. He is going to struggle because there are so many new moving parts. But eventually we are going to get it and we are going to be really a good team."
That might not stop rumors about Walton's standing within the organization. After all, he was hired not by their current front office but rather by Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak. Rumors, though, are nothing new for the coach. Last season point guard Lonzo Ball's father, LaVar, said in an interview with ESPN that he thought Walton had lost the locker room. The Lakers didn't publicly respond to Ball's comments at first, although Buss posted a message of support on Twitter.
The Lakers roster changed dramatically in July. They added four veteran free agents, all with strong personalities that have at times challenged their coaches.
They also added the greatest player in the world. To prepare, Walton had breakfast with Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue, who had just spent 2{ seasons with James in Cleveland.
Lue began his tenure in January 2016 after David Blatt was fired.
Led by James, the Cavaliers won a championship that spring.
While that outcome is unlikely in Walton's first season coaching James, he goes into it with management's support.
"He's young, he's played at a high level, won championships," Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka said of Walton. "Has a great way of communicating with people. Has a genuine air and keeping guys engaged.
"We think our roster and its strengths actually lines up perfectly with our coach and his strengths."
.jpg?w=600)
