Bresnahan: Mike D'antoni hired as Lakers new coach

[chambers]

Signed for 4 years. Phil was number one choice but wanted too much money.

http://twitter.com/Mike_Bresnahan/status/267895361044090880

Great news if you ask me.
D'antoni teams are just horrid defensively.
Lakers are going to try and outscore every team they play and hope that Howard can make up for Gasol's horrid interior defending and Nash's even worse defense.

I seriously believe this is one of the best outcomes for us Celtics fans considering the personnel they acquired.
Thoughts?

[Moranis]

still can't believe the Lakers bungled this.

[greg_kite]

I think it was a good move for L.A. long term.  I think D'Antoni will be around for a while and will make players want to play there.  Howard seems more likely to stay for an offense like that.  I think Bryant and Gasol can still thrive in a high octane offense, it will maximize Nash's skills and once Howard regains his explosiveness they could be scary.  I'm interested to see how a team with size plays in D'Antoni's offense.

[Rondo2287]

I think D'antoni's system with a dominant defensive big can still be very effective. I think its a great hire for them. 

[indeedproceed]

Probably the better move. Guess we'll get to see for realisies if D'Antoni's system can work.

[jambr380]

I am not sure if there is a max-out point for an offense, but this team will probably reach it. In that case, it was a mistake not to bring in a more defensive-minded coach.

But, they could be like the Warner/Faulk Rams or the 2007 Patriots and just go nuts on everybody. Howard has had to hold down the defense before and on much worse offensive teams.

I wish they would have just kept Brown.

[Rondo2287]

Probably the better move. Guess we'll get to see for realisies if D'Antoni's system can work.

Honestly its gonna be tough rooting against the lakers if they fully implement a phoenix suns type system with Nash and D'antoni.  I will still root against them but I will enjoy watching them play if that makes sense.

[TripleOT]

With the Lakers' huge local TV deal (20 years/$3 billion), them complaining about money is like Obama complaining about not winning North Carolina.


However, paying a coach $12m a year when you can get one who fits well with your personnel for a quarter of that cost, might not be a bad idea, especially if you're facing a luxtax bill in 2014 of $85m or more. 

The Lakers take in over $240 million in revenue yearly.  This year, they will have a payroll in excess of $100m, a tax bill of $30m, and revenue sharing of $19m.  They'll make  a lot of money this year,  but next season, those figures go up to $100m, $85m and $20m, they will have "only" $45m left to pay other expenses, like travel, front office, etc.   Spending almost $10m of that on a coach apparently wasn't palatable to the younger Buss.

I would have spent the money on the sure thing and hired Jackson, figuring that Kobe's window is closing and the Lakers desperately want to catch the Celtics in total titles.  However, the Buss children are operating with some sense of fiscal responsibility, last year moving Odom and now eschewing the big money Jackson was demanding for a cheaper alternative. 

Last year's move didn't add up to more success on the court, and I suspect that neither will this year's bargain move.     
 

[wdleehi]

Terrible move.



If you can get Jackson back who has lead this team to multiple titles with an offense that Kobe and Gasol fit great in, you get him. 


The team had the chance to bring back the 2nd best coach of all time and went for the coach of playoff disappointment.




As a Celtic's fan, I love it. 


An offense that made Melo angry should be great for Kobe.

[indeedproceed]

Probably the better move. Guess we'll get to see for realisies if D'Antoni's system can work.

Honestly its gonna be tough rooting against the lakers if they fully implement a phoenix suns type system with Nash and D'antoni.  I will still root against them but I will enjoy watching them play if that makes sense.

Depth is still a huge issue though. Nobody on their bench is even above average for the position.

They should move Gasol at this point. Utah seems ideal but Utah is rebuilding. Houston doesn't have the pieces. Denver or Phoenix are big possibilities.

[wdleehi]

Probably the better move. Guess we'll get to see for realisies if D'Antoni's system can work.

Honestly its gonna be tough rooting against the lakers if they fully implement a phoenix suns type system with Nash and D'antoni.  I will still root against them but I will enjoy watching them play if that makes sense.

Depth is still a huge issue though. Nobody on their bench is even above average for the position.

They should move Gasol at this point. Utah seems ideal but Utah is rebuilding. Houston doesn't have the pieces. Denver or Phoenix are big possibilities.

Gasol for Amare?   



Makes sense (if the Lakers put on the injury blinders)

[Fafnir]

Big winner Antwan Jamison.

[Rondo2287]

Big winner Antwan Jamison.

ooohhh hope so, I got him on a fantasy team

[scaryjerry]

Big Winner: The Miami Heat

No way dantoni is a championship coach, he may get them there, they may be awfully entertaining but mike brown was a better playoff coach, sorry.

[Chris]

Lakers got lucky here.  D'Antoni is a better fit for that roster than Jackson, particularly given Jackson's health and the lack of cohesion that would lead to. 

It will be interesting to see what they end up doing with Gasol, who is an OK fit in D'Antoni's system, but not excellent, but could give them the pieces to build a great running team.

At the very least, they are going to be fun to watch.