Lakers rumours: LA could make run against Kentucky’s John Calipari

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GM Rob Pelinka of the Los Angeles Lakers faces a tough decision.

The Los Angeles Lakers could have an advantage if the team chooses to transfer from head coach Frank Vogel this season. Heavy.com NBA editor Sean Deveney notes that there are growing rumors that Kentucky coach John Calipari is open to probing a departure from Kentucky.

Regardless of how underwhelming the Lakers have been during the season, coaching a historic franchise with LeBron James and Anthony Davis should still appeal to top coaches. Calipari coached Davis in his only Kentucky season when the Wildcats won the championship in 2011-12. Davis went on to become the #1 pick in New Orleans’ 2012 NBA draft.

“When you talk about the Lakers you are talking about a coach position, I think you have to mention John Calipari as a possibility,” Deveney detailed April 2. “Now, I hear. said Calipari would be willing to consider leaving Kentucky, he’s definitely a god there and it’s a comfortable situation but the college game is getting harder and harder and the pro game There’s big money you can go back and collect and you don’t have to worry about recruiting. Calipari with the Lakers— why not? He’ll probably have to ask some GM to speak, several employees said, but if there’s a reputable person to come and rescue the situation, it could be him. ”

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Calipari signed $86 million ‘lifetime’ contract in Kentucky

Calipari’s contract with Kentucky has been described as a “lifetime” deal but college basketball insiders Adam Zagoria reports which coaches essentially signed for 10 years, $86 million in 2019. Coaches in both the NBA and college often switch from job to job regardless of current contract status. their.

“With a base salary of $400,000 per season from college, Calipari will earn $8 million in total compensation over the next two seasons with increases starting in 2021-22 ($8.5 million). dollars per year for four seasons) and 2025-26 ($9 million per season five for four seasons), ”Zagoria tweeted on June 13, 2019.

Coach Cal searched for the ‘right situation’ in the NBA, says Insider

Heavy.com NBA insider Steve Bulpett noted that Calipari had been looking for the “right situation” to return to the NBA for a “long time”. Calipari struggled during his only NBA head coaching stint with the Nets from 1996 to 1999.

“Cal yes, the word I got was that he wanted to get back into the NBA for a long time but he was looking for the right situation,” Bulpett added. “Strangely enough, it’s hard for a college coach, who was once such a big part of their program, to make the kind of change needed to be an NBA coach. You are not the show in the NBA. It would be difficult for any college coach to have established what Calipari has established.”

Calipari in 2021: ‘I have the best job in the country’

This is not the first time Calipari has been linked with the Lakers. College basketball analyst Rex Chapman reported on April 7, 2014 that Calipari arrived at the Lakers as a “done deal.” Calipari was supposed to coach Kobe Bryant but in the end nothing appeared in the rumors as the legendary coach remained in Kentucky.

Time will tell whether the appeal of the Lakers or another team is enough to bring Calipari back to the NBA. Last season, Calipari took to Twitter to deny rumors about the coach.

“It’s that time of year! Why does the rumor always start when we are in the recruitment phase? ” Calipari tweeted on June 16, 2021. “I have the best job in the country with the best opportunity to impact young people and add value to their careers – and that hasn’t changed. This season can’t come fast enough! Let’s go!”

Calipari on Coaching LeBron: ‘If I Had The Chance, I Absolutely Could’

Calipari’s Wildcats has failed to live up to the show’s lofty expectations in recent years. Kentucky lost to St. Peters in the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament and missed March Madness entirely in 2021.

Calipari’s relationship with James is well-documented, and getting to know the two Lakers stars could benefit the franchise. In a 2014 interview with Cleveland Plain dealer Mary Schmitt Boyer, Calipari admitted that he would “absolutely love” coach James at some point.

“Are you kidding me?” Calipari responded during a May 14, 2014 event when asked about possibly coaching James. “A chance to coach the best player in the world? Yes, I would love to train him. But what happened was our careers intertwined without crossing.

“I am not in a position where I would leave Kentucky right now. I’m not sure if this is his last contract or his next one. But I will tell you if I had the chance, I would absolutely do it. ”