The Los Angeles Lakers are not in this year’s NBA Playoffs and are dealing with offseason issues which include looking for a new head coach. Negotiations are underway for Tyronn Lue to step into that position and it is expected that will be a done deal anytime now. As the Lakers continue to figure out how to make things better in the near future, LeBron James already has a big name in mind to bring into the organization.
It is really no surprise that James has a lot of say in what happens within the franchise of the LA Lakers. He is the centerpiece of their roster and he’s looking to bring championships back to the storied organization, and he knows that true leadership is necessary.
With Lue likely coming in as the head coach of the Lakers, James apparently has a name in mind to help fill up the bench. According to a report from The Athletic , James has had a great interest in bringing former Minnesota Timberwolves head coach and team president Tom Thibodeau.
Right now, this is nothing more than speculation and a bunch of rumors, but those close to James have been working on getting Thibodeau into Los Angeles. As recently as two weeks ago, some of LBJ’s associates were gauging Thibodeau’s interest in becoming the top assistant under Lue.
Tyronn Lue worked alongside Thibodeau with the Boston Celtics which is good news as they’re familiar with one another’s work ethic and talent. James feels as if Thibodeau is a great talent and has a true basketball mind that would help the Lakers out immediately.
Rumor has it that the position James sees Thibodeau in is one that would be similar to the roles that Ron Adams and Mike Brown have under Steve Kerr with the Golden State Warriors.
Thibodeau was just fired by the Timberwolves back in early January and it just didn’t seem as if it was a very good fit for him in Minnesota. He is still owed a lot of money by the team and some don’t feel as if he’d be willing to go to any franchise where he’s not the head coach.
Now, only time will tell.
LeBron James’ first year with the Los Angeles Lakers was not an overly good one as it was filled with injuries, drama, trade rumors, and too many losses. Now, they are working on overhauling things which could include some huge free agent signings and big trades over the summer. First, they need to get a head coach which appears as if it will be Tyronn Lue, but no one can ever forget about the influence of LeBron James.
