The Los Angeles Lakers reportedly are taking their time in hiring a coach because they want to see if Doc Rivers ends up leaving the Los Angeles Clippers. The Lakers, however, denied the rumor and appear to be leaning toward hiring Byron Scott.
Grantland's Bill Simmons suggested Wednesday the Lakers may be waiting to hire a coach until after they know whether Rivers will remain with the Clippers. Rivers purportedly indicated to Clippers officials that he would resign from the organization if owner Donald Sterling still retained ownership by the start of the season.
Sterling currently is arguing the legality of the Clippers franchise being sold to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. In addition to a California probate court hearing Sterling's case against the legality of his wife's decision to sell the franchise, Sterling has filed lawsuits against the NBA and his wife.
Sterling, who was a skilled lawyer before becoming a real estate mogul, is expected to use the courts to drag out the process of stripping him of his ownership; he vowed last month to fight the sale of his club for as long as possible.
If that becomes the case, Rivers could seek to be released from his contract and pursue a coaching vacancy with another team.
The Los Angeles Daily News, however, reports the Lakers' decision to not yet sign a coach has nothing to do with the possibility of hiring Rivers.
"Amid all the unanswered questions who the Lakers will hire as their next head coach and when, two team sources strongly disputed that any delay stems from waiting out to see if Clippers coach Doc Rivers will become available because of embattled owner Donald Sterling prolonging a costly litigation battle," Mark Medina of The Daily News wrote Wednesday.
Even if Rivers did become available, he's unlikely to sign with the Lakers. Rivers left the Boston Celtics last summer because he didn't want to be part of a rebuild, which the Lakers are essentially undergoing.
