There’s a new and familiar name with strong connections to LeBron James atop the latest odds for the next Lakers head coach, at least according to one Sportsbook.
The folks at BetOnline have Juwan Howard as a 4-1 favorite to become the Lakers head coach next season, with current Lakers head coach Luke Walton and former Cavaliers head coach Ty Lue following close behind at 7-1. Meanwhile, former betting favorite Jason Kidd has fallen to 9-1.
The connections of Howard to LeBron are easily visible: Howard was a teammate of James for three seasons on the Miami Heat, including two championship seasons in 2012 and 2013. In that final season in 2013, Howard effectively played a Kendrick Perkins role as an assistant coach in uniform. Howard eventually became an assistant coach for the Heat the following season.
So, as you can see, the connections are strong. There are also worse people to learn from as an assistant than Miami’s Erik Spoelstra, one of the league’s longest tenured coaches and regarded for his ability to get his talent to be more than the sum of their parts.
In addition to the LeBron connections, there are also strong Lakers connections to consider as well. Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka was a bench player on the iconic Michigan ‘Fab Five’ squads that featured Howard, so Howard’s closest superior already has a long-running relationship with him.
Of course, the latest odds could also be seen as a positive sign for Luke Walton as he pulled even in the odds with Ty Lue. Despite all of the rumors, Walton has remained unbothered about the constant noise surrounding his coaching and has managed to lead the Lakers to wins even as the season is lost.
Where the money is isn’t everything, but it’s interesting to note what is happening on this front. Meanwhile, NBA insiders have suggested that they expect Walton to go at the end of the season. But in light of LeBron’s injury, as well as the recent infighting in the Ball family, perhaps the most interesting thing about Howard’s sudden rise to the top of the odds is this: Walton’s future may not be decided just yet.
