3. Sam Cassell
As long as LeBron James is on the roster, the Los Angeles Lakers will be doing all they can to compete and win titles. That would lead people to believe a head coach with experience would be among the favorites, but when the Cleveland Cavaliers won their title with James, he pushed for a first-time head coach to take the job.
Tyronn Lue took over for David Blatt despite Blatt going 30-11. It was a risk, but one that paid off as Lue helped lead the team to the NBA Championship. Could another first-time head coach be on the docket in the form of Sam Cassell?
Lue took over the Cavaliers midseason after three seasons as an assistant head coach and one full season as associate head coach before being elevated to the head coaching spot. Cassell has even more experience on NBA benches, as he has been an assistant around the league since 2009.
He is one person that should be receiving a lot of attention this offseason for head coaching gigs as he has paid his dues. We have seen first-time head coaches land prominent jobs in recent years as Steve Kerr and Steve Nash took over the Golden State Warriors and Brooklyn Nets, respectively.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: This Lakers-Magic Trade Features Anthony Davis
Could Cassell be the next former player to jump right into the fray with a team hoping to compete out of the gate? It would be a pressure-packed job, but Cassell never let the pressure get to him as a player and would likely bring the same demeanor to head coaching.
