Steve Kerr has missed the first two-plus months of the NBA season after undergoing multiple back surgeries over the summer, and the Golden State Warriors head coach may end up losing one of his top assistants because of it.
In Kerr’s absence, Luke Walton has lead the Warriors to a 35-2 record as interim head coach. Walton last played in 2013 and this is only his second year coaching, but he is already drawing interest as a potential full-time head coach.
Mark Heisler of the Los Angeles Daily News reports that Los Angeles Lakers head coach Byron Scott is expected to be fired at some point before next season, and Walton is his “likeliest successor.”
Walton was a fan favorite during his 10 seasons as a player with the Lakers. He won back-to-back NBA championships with the team in 2009 and 2010. With Kobe Bryant set to retire and the Lakers looking to build around their young core of D’Angelo Russell and Julius Randle, hiring a 36-year-old head coach might not be a bad idea.
As we know, Walton has had the benefit of stepping in as head coach of the defending NBA champions and by far the best team in the league. That said, the players clearly respect him and he has shown he is capable of being in charge. Plus, Walton recently beat Stephen Curry in a shooting challenge, which you can see here. What more could Lakers fans want?
