Walton ready to switch gears
Lakers’ new head coach embraces role following sting of NBA Finals loss
Luke Walton realizes he is reporting to his dream job a little late.
The Los Angeles Lakers’ new head coach is determined to catch up quickly as he starts the biggest project of his life.
The Lakers formally introduced the 36-year-old Walton on Tuesday, 53 days after they hired the Golden State assistant coach to lead their rebuilding from the worst season in franchise history.
“I’m so excited to get after it here,” said Walton, who played nine seasons and won two titles as a Lakers forward.
After wowing Lakers owner Jim Buss and general manager Mitch Kupchak in a late-April interview, Walton still completed his second season as an assistant to Steve Kerr with the Warriors, who lost Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Sunday.
With the sting of that loss still affecting him, Walton made the drive down from Oakland on Monday and immediately got to work with the franchise that drafted him in 2003. The Lakers are starting from the floor after Kobe Bryant’s retirement and a 17-65 season, but Walton only sees opportunity.
“I think we’re in an exciting time,” Walton said. “We have extremely talented young players. We have a ton of money to spend in free agency. We have draft picks this year, and the fact that Mitch and Jimmy Buss trusted me with this, in being part of this rebuilding, post-Kobe era, just means the world to me.”
Cavaliers: While playing in Miami, LeBron James regretted not winning an NBA title in Cleveland. “I wish I could have won one there,” he said in 2012 before a practice with the U.S. Olympic team at the London Games. “I could only imagine how the parade would have been down East 9th Street.” He’s about to find out. Cleveland is throwing a parade that’s been on hold for 52 years.
On Wednesday, hundreds of thousands of fans are expected to line downtown streets to celebrate James and the Cavaliers winning the NBA title and giving the city its first major professional sports championship since 1964.
The parade will start in the plaza next to Quicken Loans Arena, which was the epicenter of Sunday night’s massive party when the Cavs completed their historic comeback by rallying from a 3-1 deficit to stun the Golden State Warriors in the seven-game series.
76ers: Forward Ben Simmons has worked out for the Philadelphia 76ers, who could make him the No. 1 pick in the Thursday’s draft. Simmons averaged 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 2.0 steals as a freshman at LSU.
Knicks: Arron Afflalo and Derrick Williams have informed New York that they are opting out of their contracts, a source said.
Bucks: Milwaukee has signed coach Jason Kidd to a three-year contract extension.
Mavericks: Dirk Nowitzki has informed Dallas that he is opting out of the final year of his contract and becoming a free agent July 1. But that does not mean the 18-year veteran is leaving the Mavericks and joining another franchise. Nowitzki has spent his entire career with the Mavericks and has always said he’ll never play for another franchise as long as the Mavericks are not in a rebuilding mode.
Newsday and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram contributed to this report.