A Royal Pain
Fansided

Luke Walton’s Coaching Career Is On The Line

By Ryan Ritter

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JANUARY 27: Luke Walton of the Sacramento Kings looks on in overtime against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the game at Target Center on January 27, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Kings defeated the Timberwolves 133-129 in overtime. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JANUARY 27: Luke Walton of the Sacramento Kings looks on in overtime against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the game at Target Center on January 27, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Kings defeated the Timberwolves 133-129 in overtime. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) /
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Los Angeles Lakers
Luke Walton Los Angeles Lakers (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images) /

Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers eventually scooped Walton up for their head coaching job in 2016. Once again, it’s easy to forget that he initially wasn’t doing too bad with a young, unproven core. After finishing a league-low 17-65 before his arrival, the Lakers improved by nine games for a 26-56 season in Walton’s first year. The following season, they would improve another by nine, going 35-47. Then GM Magic Johnson managed to sign LeBron James and the expectations quickly changed.

Despite preaching patience, Johnson reprimanded Walton for a slow 2-5 start to LeBron’s first year as a Laker. They managed to reach a 20-14 record at Christmas until untimely injuries took James and Rajon Rondo down for much of the rest of the season. Add in season-ending injuries to young stars Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram, as well as an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to trade essentially their entire young core to acquire Anthony Davis from the New Orleans Pelicans, and the season was doomed. They finished outside of the playoffs, winning 37 games. Magic resigned and Walton was shown the door quickly after.

All of this is to say that Luke Walton absolutely underwhelmed in his time as the coach of the Lakers. However, there was significant front-office turmoil and injuries to factor in, as well as the uncomfortable position of having to coach perhaps the most intimidating player in the league to coach. Thus, it was somewhat difficult to judge his skills as a coach after his last two stops due to the unusual circumstances of both. Just as Walton’s exemplary job in Golden State could be hand-waved away, his poor performance in Los Angeles could just as easily be explained as him being the victim of shifting and unclear priorities along with a depleted roster.

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