News 'n Views - May 2016: The Lakers' adjusted culture could pay dividends going forward
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Runway8
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PostPosted: Wed May 04, 2016 12:54 pm    Post subject:

Top 3 pick plus Russell for anybody is crazy. Maybe the only guy I'll consider is Anthony Davis. We are now at the stage where not even Lebron is worth the top 3 and Russell due to his age. Time flies...
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PostPosted: Wed May 04, 2016 7:54 pm    Post subject:

lakersfreak wrote:
3 Potential Trades LA Could Pursue Using Their Draft Pick
by Eric Yee - lakeshowlife.com

Rumor has it that the Lakers will try to trade their draft pick, should they retain it, for an established star. Here are some possible targets

Monday, radio personality, Colin Cowherd, took to the airwaves reporting that the Lakers would be willing to trade their draft pick for an established star, were they to keep the pick. Being that Cowherd is well, Cowherd, basketball fans took the news with a grain of salt.

This was until Bill Simmons, formerly of Grantland and ESPN, now with The Ringer, took to Twitter to reveal that he’d also been hearing rumors about the Lakers’ plan for the pick. Now, with a more credible source providing the information, the rumor can be taken a bit more seriously.

Personally, the rumors reveal that the Lakers may be falling back into the same bad habits that got them here in the first place, something which was assumed to be left in the past when they opted to hire Luke Walton in lieu of other, more experienced, options.

As it stands, the Lakers’ front office seems to be jumping the gun seeing how they only have a 55.8 percent of actually keeping their pick, but you can’t fault them for preparing for every possible situation.

With that in mind, here are a few prospects that the Lakers are likely to pursue if the rumors are indeed true.

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Quote:

The top free agents will be Kevin Durant, who is unrestricted, and LeBron James, who can opt out his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Either would be a boon to the Lakers, but neither should be expected.

Other quality free agents include guards DeMar DeRozan and Mike Conley, big men Hassan Whiteside, Al Horford and Joakim Noah, and forwards Nicolas Batum, Ryan Anderson, Kent Bazemore and Chandler Parsons (who has a player option with the Dallas Mavericks) among others.

Restricted free agents are generally more challenging to acquire, with standouts like center Andre Drummond, forward Harrison Barnes and guard Bradley Beal atop the list.


The FA group is not great and a lot teams have space to spend. That is the reason why Butler, Cousins, George etc. surface in speculation. They are much better than most FAs.

If a team with a tone of cap space ends up with Noah+ Bazemore as their summer "prize" , it would be a disaster. So one bird at hand.... but why would CHI/SAC/IND trade their "one bird"? They will certainly ask for two young talents. Something like JC+ Ingram for Butler. Any trade involving JC has to wait till July though.

The lottery is so important this year.
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PostPosted: Wed May 04, 2016 9:25 pm    Post subject:

Lakers preparing to make ‘big run’ at Paul George this summer
by Gary Kester - lakersoutsiders.com
With the NBA Draft Lottery less than two weeks away, rumors are starting to surround the Los Angeles Lakers.

Yesterday, Colin Cowherd claimed that two of his sources have told him that if the Lakers retain their top-three protected first round pick on May 17, they intend to trade it, even if it happens to be the top overall pick in the draft. The main target Cowherd threw out there was Sacramento Kings big man DeMarcus Cousins, who is reportedly now available in trade discussions.

On Wednesday, another rumor started to generate some buzz, thanks to HBO’s Bill Simmons.

Also hearing that the Lakers want to make a BIG run at Paul George with their top-3 pick plus other stuff. (Not that they'd get him...)

If the Lakers offered Indy their top-3 pick plus Russell for PG13... I mean... I don't think Indy says yes but it's def a meeting.

If you are the Lakers, you do this deal in a heartbeat. Indiana, however, would probably hang up the phone as soon as Paul George’s name is mentioned. George has recovered magnificently from his horrifying leg injury two years ago and has reached superstar status.

George is under contract for the next two seasons before having a player option in the summer of 2018. The Pacers would be absolutely foolish to ship him out unless they were about to lose him anyways, but that’s not even remotely the case here.

Superstars are not easy to find and lock up for several years, but Indiana has done that with George. He is a guy that you build around, not get rid of.

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PostPosted: Wed May 04, 2016 9:30 pm    Post subject:

Luke considering Brian Shaw as assistant
by Adrian Wojnarowski - sports.yahoo.com

New head coach Luke Walton is starting to construct his coaching staff, and the most prominent on his short list of candidates is Brian Shaw, league sources said.

Shaw was a longtime assistant under Phil Jackson, and most recently the head coach of the Denver Nuggets. Lakers executive vice president Jim Buss resisted Shaw as a head-coaching candidate before the hiring of Byron Scott, and many in the league doubt his enthusiasm over having another Jackson loyalist rejoining the coaching staff.

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PostPosted: Thu May 05, 2016 8:05 am    Post subject:

Oliver Reed wrote:
Walton will double the win total next year with minimal signings. If he gets the big fish and a top 2 pick, I think he will win 40+. If he gets durant and whiteside, with the top 2 pick. 50 wins and playoffs here we come....


If minimal signings, we will not double the wins.

Scott was terrible but not that bad.

We have the whole summer to see how this plays out.

Too early to make these predictions.
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PostPosted: Thu May 05, 2016 8:32 am    Post subject:

I think the pick for PG, maybe a little more, they're blowing it up
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PostPosted: Thu May 05, 2016 3:35 pm    Post subject:

laker4life wrote:
Oliver Reed wrote:
Walton will double the win total next year with minimal signings. If he gets the big fish and a top 2 pick, I think he will win 40+. If he gets durant and whiteside, with the top 2 pick. 50 wins and playoffs here we come....


If minimal signings, we will not double the wins.

Scott was terrible but not that bad.

We have the whole summer to see how this plays out.

Too early to make these predictions.
scott was not that bad? are u f'n serious? i guess u didnt watch this past season
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PostPosted: Thu May 05, 2016 9:11 pm    Post subject:

10 potential candidates for Luke Walton’s coaching staff
by Gary Kester - lakersoutsiders.com

Less than a week ago, Luke Walton became the new head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Walton was high on the Lakers’ list of coaching candidates from the start, after the Golden State Warriors racked up a 39-4 start under his watch while head coach Steve Kerr recovered from offseason back surgery. That appeared to capture the Lakers’ attention, but it was Walton’s vision that reportedly sold Mitch Kupchak and Jim Buss on him becoming the team’s new coach.

Walton will remain on Kerr’s staff until Golden State completes their playoff run, which could last until mid-June if they end up back in the NBA Finals. But it appears he may be doing some additional work when he has the chance, as Walton has reportedly begun his search to construct his coaching staff, a crucial task for any first-time NBA head coach.

A quality coaching staff can go a long way for a team, especially in this case, as the Lakers need one that can help develop their young talent and continue to take steps forward in the rebuilding process.

Some names are already being linked to the job openings, but here are 10 possible candidates that Walton could target to fill out his staff.

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PostPosted: Thu May 05, 2016 9:13 pm    Post subject:

Kobe Bryant to Release ‘Dear Basketball’ Animated Short Film on SI.com
by Eric Yee - lakeshowlife.com

Early Thursday morning it was announced that Kobe Bryant and Sports Illustrated would be teaming up for the Black Mamba’s first official project post-retirement

Just less than a month removed from playing his last game in the NBA, Kobe Bryant has moved on from the game of basketball rather quickly, filling his time with various projects including a “Dear Basketball” animated short film that is set to premier on SI.com.

Alongside Kobe Studios, Time Inc. and Believe Entertainment Group, per Sports Illustrated the project will feature a plethora of well known artists in the process.

In an exclusive email the team revealed,

The collaboration includes the world premiere of Dear Basketball the animated short film on SI.com as well as a series of exclusive SI Films mini documentaries taking viewers behind the scenes of the animation process. Dear Basketball is targeted to premiere in the fall on SI.com.

More over that the short film will feature the work of Gary Keane, the animator behind Disney classics, “Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Tarzan and Tangled,” and music by composer John Williams, famous for “Jaws, Superman, the Indiana Jones series, E.T., Jurassic Park, the Harry Potter films and Star Wars.”

Kobe himself was extremely excited for the prospect of working with some of the biggest names in film making.

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PostPosted: Thu May 05, 2016 9:14 pm    Post subject:

Jim Buss believes Lakers have ‘perfect amount’ of young players
by Gary Kester - lakersoutsiders.com

Even when they are not a part of the NBA playoffs, you can always expect the Los Angeles Lakers to be in headlines, one way or another.

As of late, new rumors are starting to surface in regards to the Lakers’ first-round pick this year, which is top-three protected. The team will have a 55.8 percent chance of retaining the pick, but if it falls to fourth or lower as a result of the NBA Draft Lottery on May 17, the selection will then belong to the Philadelphia 76ers.

All the recent buzz surrounding the pick has been under the assumption that Los Angeles will indeed get lucky with the ping pong balls again this year, but the chatter has not been about Ben Simmons or Brandon Ingram donning a purple and gold uniform next season. Instead, the speculation has been about including the pick in a trade for an established star.

First, the name thrown out as a potential trade target was Sacramento Kings big man DeMarcus Cousins. Not long after, the next name in the rumor mill was Indiana Pacers star Paul George.

At the end of the day, those are just rumors, and nobody knows for sure what the Lakers are planning to do if they are fortunate enough to stay in the top-three … or do they?

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PostPosted: Thu May 05, 2016 9:56 pm    Post subject:

Is it at all possible to seduce Vogel? That would be something no..he's only getting paid 2.5M this year, think we can match that at least.
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PostPosted: Fri May 06, 2016 2:00 am    Post subject:

lakerhaterhater wrote:
Is it at all possible to seduce Vogel? That would be something no..he's only getting paid 2.5M this year, think we can match that at least.


I would love that
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PostPosted: Fri May 06, 2016 4:32 pm    Post subject:

Mitch Kupchak laughs at rumors the Lakers will trade their first round pick
by Harrison Faigen - silverscreenandroll.com

The team's general manager does not sound like he's in a rush to move the pick

The internet and radio waves have been flooded in recent days with rumors about the Los Angeles Lakers 2016 first round pick. First Colin Cowherd of Fox Sports reported that he had heard Los Angeles planned to trade the pick even if it was the first overall selection, which was soon followed by Bill Simmons of HBOreporting that the team might look to send it to the Indiana Pacers for Paul George.

Never mind that the Lakers only have a 55.8 percent to keep the pick, because if it doesn't land in the top three selections it must be conveyed to the Philadelphia 76ers, who acquired this last vestige of the Lakers' ill-fated Steve Nash trade.

Forget entirely how unlikely it is that BREAKING NEWS about the Lakers would come from Cowherd or Simmons instead of an actual reporter. There is an even better reason to not necessarily buy that the Lakers are automatically going to move their pick: general manager Mitch Kupchak says no plan for the pick has been decided upon yet because the Lakers don't even have it yet:

Mitch Kupchak says he got a laugh out of the rumors that they will trade their 1st rd pick: "That's not how I operate." (via @ESPNLA710)

Kupchak: "I'm superstitious enough that I'm not going to look to do something or take something for granted before we have it." (on ESPN710)

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PostPosted: Fri May 06, 2016 4:34 pm    Post subject:

Mitch Kupchak Outlines Lakers Advantages In Free Agency This Summer
by Corey Hansford - lakersnation.com

In the last couple of summers, the Los Angeles Lakers have attempted to be major players in free agency but ultimately failed to bring in the star player that they had hoped for. After another awful season in which the team set the franchise record for most losses in a season, general manager Mitch Kupchak will again be looking to make a splash on July 1.

The difficulty for the Lakers has been convincing top players that they can win with in Los Angeles as the overall talent on the team has been lacking. Kupchak now believes that will no longer be the case for the Lakers.

In his Friday press conference, Kupchak noted that the Lakers have more talent overall on the roster than in past years:

Mitch says Lakers have more talent this summer than in years past. Believes that could help sell free agents (via @TWCSportsNet)

Kupchak also spoke about the large amount of salary cap room the Lakers possess, which allows them to bring in two max salary players as an advantage:

Mitch also points to the Lakers being able to add 2 max players this summer while most others can only add 1 (via @TWCSportsNet)

When it comes to young talent with a lot of potential, the Lakers certainly are in a much better position. The team has a few players who they believe are building blocks of the future, led by D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson, and Julius Randle. Players like that can appeal to some free agents or can be used as trade pieces to land a big name via trade.

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PostPosted: Sat May 07, 2016 6:38 am    Post subject:

Luke Walton will have 'some input' on who the Lakers target in free agency
by Harrison Faigen - silverscreenandroll.com

The ultimate decisions will rest with management and ownership, however

The Los Angeles Lakers will have the most cap space in the NBA this summer, and will look to use their $68.3 million in room to improve the team immediately. While it was obvious that the team's basketball operations would have a large say in who the team targets over the summer, general manager Mitch Kupchak revealed that new head coach Luke Walton would also have some say on the team's free agent pursuits during a radio appearance on ESPN Los Angeles on Friday morning.

"Luke will have some input [on free agency]," said Kupchak (as transcribed by Serena Winters of Lakers Nation. "But the final say will be [with] ownership and management." This relationship sounds fairly standard, but the information is interesting if only because of the Lakers' rumored interest in a few of Walton's Warriors' players.

Could Walton be part of the reason the team sees Harrison Barnes and Festus Ezeli as targets in free agency? His familiarity could play a role, but Ezeli is a good fit regardless of Walton knowing him well from his time with the Warriors.

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PostPosted: Sat May 07, 2016 6:39 am    Post subject:

Mitch Kupchak calls Luke Walton ‘good bet going forward’
by Bill Oram - dailynews.com

Luke Walton will become the youngest head coach in the NBA when he assumes the reins after the Golden State Warriors season ends, but General Manager Mitch Kupchak said the former Lakers forward is a “good bet going forward.”

Kupchak said Friday that the Lakers expected Walton to be a top candidate for several of the coaching openings in the NBA, a belief that played a role in their decision not to bring back Byron Scott.

The Lakers interviewed Walton on April 28 in Oakland, and quickly decided to make an offer.

“With the openings in the NBA at that time,” Kupchak said, “and the openings that we thought might come about once we finished the interview, we decided quickly that he was our first choice, why wait? Just get it done.”

Walton signed his contract Thursday night, Kupchak said. While he will remain with the Warriors through their playoff run, Walton will likely assemble a coaching staff in short order, Kupchak said.

There is a strong possibility the Lakers will consider assistants with head coaching experience.

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PostPosted: Sat May 07, 2016 6:40 am    Post subject:

Julius Randle believes he can thrive in Luke Walton's offense
by Harrison Faigen - silverscreenandroll.com

The third-year forward is ready to bust out under his new coach

New Los Angeles Lakers head coach Luke Walton says he plans to run a Warriors-like offense with his new team, and at least one member of that group is already excited about it. Julius Randle told Mark Medina of the L.A. Daily News that he believes playing under Walton in that style of offense will be a boon to his game, and it's easy to see why.

Randle was cast by some as a Zach Randolph-type of player coming into the league because of his similar size and build, but that comparison is fairly far off. Yes, Randle is burly and can make defenders bounce off of him, but he is at his best working with the ball in his hands on the move, rather than out of Randolph-style post-ups, something Kobe Bryant accurately summed up in the preseason by describing the young forward as "Lamar Odom in Zach Randolph's body."

Randle is far less polished as a playmaker than Odom was, but both are bigs that like to dribble and get out in the open floor, something Walton will almost assuredly give Randle the green light to do when he grabs a defensive rebound, much like Walton's current power forward Draymond Green does. That should worry opponents a bit, because Randle grabbed an impressive 32.7 percent of opponent's misses this season.

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PostPosted: Sat May 07, 2016 6:41 am    Post subject:

Lakers to stay local in 2016 preseason
by Mark Medina - insidesocal.com

The Lakers may enter training camp in the fall of 2016 with a much more cheerful note than the past two seasons that featured endless. That sunny outlook, however, will not coincide with the Lakers staying at a poolside hotel and saying “Aloha” to fans.

After spending the majority of training camp last season in Hawaii, the Lakers will spend most of their preseason in the comfortable confines of their practice facility in El Segundo. The Lakers will also primarily play in the Southern California area.

They will begin and end exhibition play at the Anaheim’s Honda Center, including their preseason opener on Oct. 4 against the Sacramento Kings and their preseason finale against the Phoenix Suns. The Lakers will host two games at Staples Center, including the Denver Nuggets on Oct. 7 and against the Portland Trail Blazers on Oct. 11. The Lakers will also visit Ontario’s Citizen Business Bank Arena (vs. Denver on Oct. 9).

The unique quirks to their schedule will include two games in Las Vegas, including against Sacramento on Oct 13 and Golden State on Oct 15 at T-Mobile Arena. Although they play in Las Vegas every year in preseason play, the Lakers have not hosted two exhibition games there since the 2006-07 season. The Lakers will also play in San Diego against the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 19 at Valley View Casino Center. That could became a game of intrigue considering Lakers coach Luke Walton’s connections.

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PostPosted: Sat May 07, 2016 8:26 am    Post subject:

Imagine if Durant signs and at his press conference, credits Luke Walton as the one of the main reasons he signed with the Lakers.
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PostPosted: Sat May 07, 2016 9:31 am    Post subject:

Well Oliver this summer we'll have Luke explaining how he'll use them instead of Kobe asking someone to be his Pau or Tyson lol that has to increase our chances
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PostPosted: Sat May 07, 2016 9:11 pm    Post subject:

Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson optimistic Lakers coach Luke Walton will accelerate their development
by Mark Medina - dailynews.com

The mere presence Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson provided on Friday made several kids smile.

Randle visited Grand View Boulevard Elementary in Mar Vista where he spent time on arts and crafts, painting, playing music and shooting the basketball. Clarkson attended Los Angeles Unified School District’s 95th Street Elementary School, where he addressed the importance of nutrition and exercise.

It appeared newly hired Lakers coach Luke Walton impacted Randle and Clarkson the same way. Both gushed about how Walton talked with them shortly after agreeing to terms last week with the Lakers.

“I’m excited about it. It’s a fresh start for us all,” Randle said. “Luke is going to be great for us and establishing the style of play we want.”

Plenty of work awaits for the Lakers to remove the stench from the past two seasons in which they finished with their worst franchise record in consecutive years. The Lakers believe they sprayed some air freshener, though, by firing Byron Scott. His disciplinarian style toward his younger players sparked mixed reviews both inside and outside the organization.

Yet, Clarkson stressed he “enjoyed my time with Coach” as he morphed from the Lakers’ 46th pick in the 2014 NBA draft toward a participant in the NBA’s Rising Stars Challenge. Despite losing his starting spot 20 games into the 2015-16 season, Randle also dismissed whether any frustration stemmed from Scott’s demanding expectations and early-season critiques about his maturity.

“I don’t think that was an issue,” Randle said. “Byron and I had plenty of dinners together. You’re always going to respect the coach, regardless.”

Moments later, however, Randle revealed how Walton could jump-start the Lakers’ rebuilding process in ways Scott never could.

“Luke is a younger guy and had a lot of success in Golden State,” Randle said. “He’s a perfect fit for us.”

The reasons seem obvious.

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PostPosted: Sat May 07, 2016 9:12 pm    Post subject:

Jordan Clarkson Says Luke Walton Hiring Impacts His Free Agency ‘A Lot’
by Corey Hansford - lakersnation.com

The Los Angeles Lakers made their first big move of the off-season by hiring new coach Luke Walton. Another big decision for the team will come once free agency begins as the team’s top returning scorer, second-year guard Jordan Clarkson, is a restricted free agent.

Clarkson has spoken about wanting to remain in Los Angeles which is a good sign for the Lakers prospects of keeping him. In an interview with ESPN’s Jovan Buha, Clarkson spoke about the impact Walton’s hiring has on his free agency:

“It really impacts it a lot,” Clarkson told ESPN.com on Friday in a phone interview when asked about how the hiring affects his free-agency decision. “That style of play fits me, as well as the other guys. I definitely want to stay here in L.A. and be here. I said in my exit interview, I don’t want to be that guy who bounces around from team to team.

“I want to be here in L.A. — a place where I can call home — and leave a legacy. The hiring makes it even better.”


Clarkson also noted that he had spoken with Walton about what to expect next season and moving forward:

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PostPosted: Sat May 07, 2016 9:13 pm    Post subject:

Mitch Kupchak talks about why the Lakers hired Luke Walton as coach
by Broderick Turner - latimes.com

Mitch Kupchak eased his way down the steps from his office and paused.

"We're having a press conference and no coach," the Lakers' general manager said, shaking his head and smiling, at his news conference Friday about the hiring of Luke Walton as coach.

Kupchak walked to his seat at a table set up with a slew of microphones and began to extol the virtues of Walton, who will continue in his current job as assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors until the end of the playoffs.

Walton and the Lakers completed their deal Thursday night, paving the way for him to replace Byron Scott, who was fired April 24.

Walton, 36, agreed to a five-year deal worth about $25 million, with the first four years guaranteed.

Walton played for the Lakers and won championships with them in 2009 and 2010, and that didn't hurt his chances of becoming their coach. He was also popular with Lakers fans.

Walton showed his potential to be a head coach when he directed the Warriors to a 39-4 record this season when Coach Steve Kerr was out recovering from back surgery.

Walton kept the NBA champion Warriors moving in the right direction, leading them to an NBA-best 24-0 start as the interim head coach.

"Although his body of work is limited to about a half of a season, the fact that he actually has already done it is a big plus going forward in his coaching career," Kupchak said. "He knows what it takes and he knows the decisions and he's familiar with the decisions to be made during the game."

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PostPosted: Sat May 07, 2016 9:14 pm    Post subject:

Luke Walton Working To Assemble Coaching Staff Quickly
by Nathaniel Lastrapes - lakersnation.com

The Los Angeles Lakers have recently made their biggest splash in years by hiring Luke Walton as their head coach. There was plenty of uncertainty regarding the Lakers’ head coaching position heading into the offseason, but the Lakers decided to part ways with Byron Scott and immediately snag Luke Walton away from the bench of the Golden State Warriors.

Walton benefited from his exposure as interim head coach for the Warriors this season, as he led them to a 39-4 start to their season while Steve Kerr recovered from surgery. Of course, even though his contract is signed, Walton will not join the Lakers until his run with the Warriors is finished. Despite that, however, Walton is working towards filling out his coaching staff:

Kupchak says that they are working to fill the coaching staff as soon as possible (via @TWCSportsNet)

Brian Shaw and J.B. Bickerstaff are two potential candidates who have been linked with the Lakers. At 36-years-old, Walton will be the youngest active coach in the NBA. With Walton’s lack of head coaching experience in mind, Lakers’ General Manager Mitch Kupchak believes that Walton will surround himself with assistant coaches who have head coaching experience:

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PostPosted: Sat May 07, 2016 9:19 pm    Post subject:

Lakers 2015 Preseason Dates Announced
by nba.com

The Los Angeles Lakers have announced their 2015-16 preseason schedule and ticket information. The eight-game line-up includes games against the Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, Portland Trailblazers and Toronto Raptors and is highlighted by two contests against the Utah Jazz at the Stan Sheriff Center in Hawaii and a game against Maccabi Haifa at STAPLES Center.

Below is the complete 2015-16 Los Angeles Lakers preseason schedule. All games will be broadcast on TV on TWCS and TWCD and on radio on 710ESPNLA unless noted otherwise:

DATE OPPONENT CITY ARENA TIME (PT)
Oct. 4 Utah Jazz Honolulu, HI Stan Sheriff Center 6:00 PM
Oct. 6 Utah Jazz Honolulu, HI Stan Sheriff Center 9:00 PM
Oct. 8* Toronto Raptors Ontario, CA Citizens Business Bank Arena 7:00 PM
Oct. 11 Maccabi Haifa Los Angeles, CA STAPLES Center 6:30 PM
Oct. 13 Sacramento Kings Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden Arena 7:00 PM
Oct. 17* Golden State Warriors San Diego, CA Valley View Casino Center 7:00 PM
Oct. 19 Portland Trail Blazers Los Angeles, CA STAPLES Center 7:30 PM
Oct. 22** Golden State Warriors Anaheim, CA Honda Center 7:00 PM

* Due to a scheduling conflict on KSPN, the preseason games on Thursday, October 8th and Saturday, October 17th will be broadcast on 690AM. These games will still be available on the rest of the Lakers radio network.

** The preseason game on Thursday, October 22th will also be televised nationally on TNT.

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