With the news of LeBron James joining the Los Angeles Lakers, reports about the situation immediately followed in the aftermath. One of those reports, however, was an interesting one and perhaps telling of what could be the future of the Lakers with James.
His people apparently approached the Lakers some months ago inquiring if they might let go Luke Walton and hire David Fizdale. Apparently Jeanie Buss declined to do that. She still got her man.
— Roland Lazenby (@lazenby) July 2, 2018
David Fizdale was fired by the Memphis Grizzlies on November 28 of last year. Perhaps not coincidentally, Luke Walton’s roughest stretch at the helm of the Los Angeles Lakers this season came in December when the Lakers were mired in a losing streak and LaVar Ball publicly questioned whether he lost the locker room.
The Lakers, though, did not waiver on James’ reported inquiry and held firm with Walton, riding it out and eventually turning the tide around, finishing the season on a high note.
Jeanie Buss and the Lakers’ resistance in firing Walton took guts considering the magnitude of hte player making the inquiry, but in the end it paid off for the Lakers. It also could be a sign moving forward that James won’t be able to manipulate decisions similar to how he reportedly did in Cleveland.
At the end of the day, James is a Laker, Walton is the coach and everything is rosy in Lakerland.
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