Luke Walton's impending firing is more than a result of the Los Angeles Lakers' incompetence in a season in which the front office tried to level expectations. While president Magic Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka tempered belief that the Lakers would wind up in the postseason, the front office was also shocked at Walton's decision not to hire an experience former head coach to help him navigate a new challenge, according to Marc Stein of The New York Times.
“Walton is certainly not blameless in the Lakers’ struggles. His lineups, rotations and responsibility for L.A.’s worrisome drop to No. 22 leaguewide in offensive efficiency have routinely been questioned. Management, furthermore, is said to be dismayed by Walton’s refusal to hire a seasoned former head coach as his top assistant — something young coaches (Walton is 38) frequently do.”
Walton's reasoning tallies up to several factors. First, it would be Walton who is seen as responsible for the firing or demotion of his current top assistant Brian Shaw. Secondly, hiring a more experienced head coach can often lead at the mixing of input, something he already had to acquiesce as Johnson and Pelinka took over the front office.
Lastly, hiring a veteran coach often gives a team the opportunity of letting go of their current head coach, knowing an assistant can quickly take over on an interim basis — making this dynamic very uneasy in a job where performance was a higher priority than player growth, something which he was brought in for initially upon accepting the job in 2016.
While the front office was dismayed by Walton's choice, it's understandable that he would look out for himself in this circumstance — something that might have saved his job for the second half of the season.
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