Next Lakers coach updated odds: Jay Wright not candidate, Mark Jackson new favorite to replace Frank Vogel
Former Villanova coach Jay Wright reportedly is not NBA-bound.
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Stunning news in college basketball on Wednesday as two-time national championship-winning coach Jay Wright of Villanova, who just led his team to the Final Four, retired at the relatively young age of 60. Wright had been courted by NBA teams many times in the past, especially by the Philadelphia 76ers, but according to multiple reports is not interested in heading to the pros – with heavy speculation on the open Los Angeles Lakers job. SportsLine offers updated odds on the next LA coach.
Might the Lakers call Wright and at least ask? They'd be dumb not to and the stylish Wright would be a good fit in Hollywood almost like a second coming of Pat Riley. But if Wright didn't want to coach the 76ers in his hometown, why go to Los Angeles when that team appears to be crumbling and LeBron James is going to be 38 in December?
CBS Sports' Matt Norlander, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and others are reporting that Hall of Famer Wright simply was a bit burned out and has no intention of coaching again. He will be paid handsomely by some network as a TV analyst. Woj wrote: "Wright had the opportunity to coach with Gregg Popovich on the Team USA staff and enjoyed the experience, but never came close to leaving Villanova for NBA jobs."
When we last addressed odds on the next Lakers coach to replace the fired Frank Vogel, his assistant David Fizdale was the betting favorite. He's still among them, but the new leader is former Warriors coach and current TV analyst Mark Jackson even though he hasn't coached since the 2013-14 season and has no ties to the Lakers organization (did play for Clippers).
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, LeBron would be "very enthused by the prospect of Jackson landing the [Lakers] job" and LeBron usually gets what he wants – sometimes to his detriment (Russell Westbrook). Jackson is a Klutch Sports client, which also represents LeBron and Anthony Davis.
Raptors coach Nick Nurse also is a Klutch Sports client and if Toronto gets swept out of the first round of the playoffs by Philadelphia on Saturday, the team might be more apt to accept some compensation for Nurse to let him leave for Los Angeles if Nurse wants to go. The Jazz may be ready to let Quin Snyder walk, too, if they lose in the first round to Dallas.
Juwan Howard had been mentioned as a possible candidate, but he reportedly will stay at Michigan.
Via SportsLine oddsmakers: Who will be the Lakers' next head coach?
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