The Los Angeles Lakers continue to bolster head coach Frank Vogel's coaching staff with championship pedigree, hiring former Toronto Raptors assistant Phil Handy.
The Lakers are hiring Phil Handy as an assistant coach, a source said. The former Raptors assistant will be at the front of the bench with the Lakers. He also coached in five straight NBA Finals winning two titles.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) July 14, 2019
Hiring Handy hardly seems to be a coincidence. Prior to winning an NBA title with the Raptors this past season, Handy was on the bench for the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2015 to 2018. He served as an assistant under Tyronn Lue, for LeBron James' second tenure with the Cavs.
Although general manager Rob Pelinka and team owner Jeanie Buss elected to hire Frank Vogel as the head coach, they made sure that he was amenable to Jason Kidd having a place on the bench as well. James was reportedly very interested in being coached by Kidd, and bringing Handy to Hollywood seems to be another move that will serve to appease James in his second season with the Lakers.
Vogel's new-look Lakers are primed to make a run in the tough and loaded Western Conference. Pelinka made the big splash for Anthony Davis to pair with James as one of the most dynamic duos in the league. The Purple and Gold also solidified their depth by signing the likes of Danny Green and bringing in DeMarcus Cousins in a fairly low-risk, high-reward move.
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