Since they are already out of the playoffs, the Philadelphia 76ers may not be doing much right now, but as you may have probably surmised, the squad is still a favorite target for rumors. However, the constant tornado of spills isn’t circling the players this time.
Rather, the one that is currently associated with a different team on the transaction table is a respected assistant coach—albeit a former one, and a highly regarded one at that. After losing to the Nuggets in the first round, the Lakers are likely to fire Darvin Ham. As a result, LA appears to be focusing on one of the 76ers’ former deputies as a possible replacement.
Lakers considering Sam Cassell, a former deputy for the 76ers, as a possible head coach
The Lakers have reportedly cast a broad net in their hunt for a new head coach, focusing on a number of current assistant coaches, including Sam Cassell, a former pivotal player for the 76ers, according to ESPN Senior Insider Adrian Wojnarowski. One of the Lakers’ early favorites for the head poncho position was reportedly Cassell, a longtime NBA veteran who has served as an assistant for the last 15 years. Cassell spent the last three seasons in Philadelphia under head coach Doc Rivers, who was also his former boss with the Los Angeles Clippers, before moving to Boston this season.
With his extensive experience as a 15-year veteran who made one All-Star team and was a member of three championship teams, Cassell has long been considered one of the primary shadow players behind Tyrese Maxey’s rise to prominence as an NBA guard. Though he is no longer in Philadelphia, Cassell’s collaboration with Maxey is still a treasured memory of his comparatively brief tenure with the team. This summer, maybe, he will finally receive the head coaching position that he so richly deserves, maybe with a talented Lakers squad.