Los Angeles Lakers Coach Mike D’Antoni will return next season, general manager Mitch Kupchak told the LA Times on Wednesday, likely disappointing fans hoping for a reunion with former coach Phil Jackson.
“Yeah, he’s back. I think he’s done a great job,” Kupchak told the paper. “There’s been no discussions otherwise. He’s made adjustments. He’s been flexible. He’s evaluated how he coaches as the season’s progressed. He’s listened to the players. He’s very easy to work with and we think in particular since the meeting the day of the Memphis game, yeah.”
The Lakers are 40-32 since D’Antoni replaced Mike Brown five games into the season, though they are 28-12 since a team meeting in Memphis in January.
D’Antoni, 61, is guaranteed for the next two seasons for a total of $8 million. The organization also owes Brown about $6 million over the next two years.