Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni has always been known to be offensive-minded, pushing his seven seconds or less strategy. The Lakers need to greatly improve on defense as they finished 19th in the league in points allowed per possession. Dwight Howard battled injury throughout the season while the rest of the team often looked lost with terrible transition defense and allowing open shots on the perimeter.
While D’Antoni’s job is hanging on by a thread, he’s trying to bring in a defensive specialist as an assistant coach in order to possibly turn things around.
According to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com.
With the Lakers in full-on evaluation mode after getting swept in the first round by the Spurs, coach Mike D’Antoni is actively exploring his long-standing desire to add a defensive-minded assistant. D’Antoni’s first choice is believed to be Nate McMillan. But with the fellow Team USA assistant expected to land a head coaching job, coaching sources believe D’Antoni will get the green light to add former Suns coach Alvin Gentry to his staff for next season.
D’Antoni and McMillan have history together as they both served as assistant coaches to Mike Krzyzewski on Team USA, however it’s practically a guarantee that McMillan will land a head coaching position so I would cross his name off the list. As for Alvin Gentry he’s a pretty good defensive coach and at this point the Lakers could use all the help available.
