Los Angeles Lakers Rumors: Brian Shaw Could Be Coming Back As Assistant Coach

The latest Los Angeles Lakers rumors are claiming Brian Shaw might be coming back to the team as a coach. Recent rumors indicate Luke Walton wants to fill his staff quickly, and the new head coach would like to bring Brian Shaw on board as part of his staff. Shaw not only once played for Los Angeles, but he was also an assistant coach for the Lakers several years ago. Shaw was the heir apparent in the minds of most Lakers’ fans when Phil Jackson decided to move on in 2011.

According to Lakers Nation, the team might have chosen someone other than Brian Shaw specifically because it wanted to get out from under the shadow of Phil Jackson. Instead of Shaw, Los Angeles hired Mike Brown and the rest is history for a once-proud Lakers franchise. Brown had very little success, especially when compared to the teams Shaw was a part of as a coach. The man they chose instead of Brian Shaw ended up getting fired just five games into the 2012-2013 season.

Luke Walton wants to add Brian Shaw to his coaching staff, according to @WojVerticalNBA https://t.co/1n1tlHXK3f

— Lakers Outsiders (@LakersOutsiders) May 5, 2016

For his part, Brian Shaw didn’t have a fantastic coaching career since leaving the Lakers. Shaw did get himself a head coaching gig for the Denver Nuggets, but he struggled to turn them into a winner and was fired after two seasons. His first season with Denver, the former Lakers great posted just a 36-46 record. His second year with the Nuggets, he was just 20-39. For those Los Angeles Lakers fans who might be a bit scared about Brian Shaw coming aboard, they can take solace in the fact he won’t be the head coach this time around either.

Luke Walton has got the head job, but he clearly has no problem bringing the “shadow” of Phil Jackson back into the fold. Considering the team had its most success in three decades while Jackson was at the helm, it makes sense rumors are showing former Jackson players and assistants returning to Los Angeles. The Bleacher Report reports Walton is plenty familiar with Brian Shaw since he played for the team at the same time Shaw was an assistant coach.

.@WojVerticalNBA reports Brian Shaw could head back to #Lakers and be on Luke Walton's staff. https://t.co/o96q2rmrdU

— Jason Patt (@Bulls_Jay) May 5, 2016

Brian Shaw has more ties to Los Angeles than just being an assistant coach. He played for the Lakers from 1999 to 2003 during the heyday of the franchise. Shaw was one of the players to lace up his sneakers alongside Kobe Bryant. Brian Shaw was one of the key players when it came to helping the franchise three-peat. Rumors of his return have obviously got a fan base that has struggled through some terrible seasons excited once again.

Brian Shaw is more than just a tie to the glory days of the team. While Luke Walton was one of the hottest names when it came to finding a new head coach, he’s got very little experience. Walton was the coach who led the Golden State Warriors while Steve Kerr took a leave of absence in order to look after his health. Under Walton’s leadership, the team set a new record for wins to start the year in the NBA and continued to steamroll the league when Kerr returned to the head coaching role. Because of an oddity when it comes to keeping track of a head coaching record in this instance, Walton actually has a head coaching record of 0-0. While not actually a rookie, he was playing just three years ago and should be well served to have a veteran assistant coach.

While it is not official just yet, it would also be a good idea for the young head man to have an assistant who knew what it was like to be the head coach. Now fans of the franchise will just have to wait and see if the Los Angeles Lakers rumors saying Brian Shaw is going to be part of the staff are accurate.

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