Getting a coaching gig in the NBA is a tall task for a 36-year-old. Said task becomes that much taller when the the talisman of said team just retired after a Hall of Fame-worthy career.
That's exactly where Luke Walton sits after accepting a five-year $25 million offer to become the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Walton is at the helm of a young, inexperienced roster with very low expectations and by knowing that, he has set his eyes on the right objectives.
“Here's the thing: I'm not looking at it right now personally as if we win this many games we had a successful year,” Walton told Chris McGee of Time Warner SportsNet.
“We have a very good, young group of players that the Lakers have put together. We have some good vets to come in that have great work ethic, that are known throughout the league as being phenomenal teammates, they can help this process.”
While his descriptions of the roster might be a little too optimistic, Walton has the right idea — there's a roster with polar opposites in it.
Nearly half of the current group is made up of players in their first, second, or third year. The other half are veterans on the final years of their careers.
Using these vets as mentors could benefit a team that could see breakout years from the likes of D'Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson, who showed flashes of brilliance in an otherwise disappointing 17-65 season.
“To me, I'm judging our success — at least for now, who knows how long it takes — on how we play,” Walton added.
“Are we playing the right way? Are we moving the ball? Are we competing on defense? Are we growing individually and as a team? If we're doing those things, then we're having success and I think once we do those things and we do them consistently, now wins are going to start happening.”
“I think the thing you have to be careful for is if you have a losing streak or if you're struggling a little bit is the jump ship, and start trying to change everything and panic to win a game here or there,” Walton said in a separate interview with McGee.
“In reality whether we're winning or losing I think it's more important that we are continuing to play a certain way.”
Albeit he's a young coach, Walton seems to have picked up on the teachings of former coach Phil Jackson and the wisdom in practice from Ron Adams and Alvin Gentry, who he coached alongside with the Golden State Warriors.
The only thing left to see is if the front office will back him up on his patient approach that this rebuilding team will surely need.
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