Lakers Have Two More Coaching Hopeful Interviews Lined Up

The Los Angeles Lakers continue to build on their list of potential replacements for Frank Vogel as their next head coach. They've got two more potential bench bosses on their interview list—both of them still actively trying to help their current teams in this year's playoffs. Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson and Milwaukee Bucks assistant Charles Lee.

Not sure if this is a coincidence or something meaningful, but the Lakers have now requested permission to interview three coaches off of the Mike Budenholzer tree.

Darvin Ham and Charles Lee obviously work for Bud now. Kenny Atkinson worked for Bud in Atlanta. https://t.co/rKxKyDrYtl

— Sam Quinn (@SamQuinnCBS) May 12, 2022

The Lakers had previously gotten permission to interview Bucks assistant Darvin Ham as well, and as NBA reporter Sam Quinn points out, all three of them work (or worked for) Mike Budenholzer. 

Lee has already interviewed for the Charlotte Hornets job this spring, and he was a finalist with Willie Green for the New Orleans Pelicans head coaching gig last year. He's only 37 years old, and according to a recent report by Kevin Pelton of ESPN, "a number of executives and coaches say that had Lee played one minute in the NBA (or had NBA bloodlines), he’d be gainfully employed as a head coach today."

Atkinson, 54, has also already interviewed for the Hornets job. He was previously head coach of the Brooklyn Nets for 3 seasons before Steve Nash. 

The Lakers have talked to a number of other candidates as well, including former Portland Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts, Toronto Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin and former Golden State head coach Mark Jackson.

They are apparently in no rush to make a decision.

Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports