With the news of the Los Angeles Lakers dismissing head coach Frank Vogel on Monday, the speculations of who the next head coach will be have risen. From current NBA coaches or those around the game, names will come from all sorts.
One name that has popped up is Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse, who helped the Raptors win an NBA championship in 2019 and was the 2019-20 Coach of the Year.
Although power forward Kawhi Leonard has since left the team following the 2019 championship to the Los Angeles Clippers, Nurse has guided his Raptors team to the Eastern Conference semifinals the following year.
Despite a young group during the 2020-21 season that only won 27 games in the 72-game schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nurse turned the team around this season to win 48 games and earned themselves a No. 5 seed in the playoffs.
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As a result, Nurse has elevated his Toronto Raptors team, consisting of young players and those part of the championship roster a few years ago.
From No. 4 overall pick Scottie Barnes, who started in 74 games this season, the power forward recorded 15.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists, to veteran guard Fred VanVleet, who averaged 20 points per game for the first time in his NBA career and earned his first All-Star nod, it shows the type of coach Nurse is when connecting with players, both rookies and veterans alike.
The Lakers need a coach that is going to take the organization back to the promise land for the franchise’s 18th NBA championship, which means that person needs to have championship pedigree, which Nurse has.
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In addition, Nick Nurse has coached high-profile NBA stars, such as Leonard and Kyle Lowry during his time in Toronto.
By possibly coaching players, such LeBron James and Anthony Davis, being able to connect with high-priced players and league-average paying players will be key for General Manager Rob Pelinka during the interview process.
