AP Photo/Ben Margot, File
Mark Jackson is being considered to become the next head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, James is very excited by the idea of Jackson becoming the Lakers head coach, but he doesn't think it will happen.
The Lakers' head coaching job became available Monday when the organization fired Frank Vogel after going a disappointing 33-49 this season.
In his first season as the Lakers' head coach, he led them to a 52-19 record and an NBA championship, but things didn't go as planned.
The Lakers made it to the playoffs last season, but they had to go through the play-in tournament. They lost to the Phoenix Suns in the first round.
Expectations were high entering the 2021-22 season, as the Lakers added Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony and several other supporting cast members to a core made up of James and Anthony Davis.
The Lakers missed out on a chance to make the playoffs because they couldn't recover from injury, resulting in an 11th-place finish in the Western Conference.
The Lakers are on the hunt for a new sideline voice, as they expected, because Vogel was the scapegoat for the team's struggles.
Jackson has spent the past eight years as a commentator, but he has three years of NBA head coaching experience to his credit and enjoyed some success.
He was the coach of the Golden State Warriors for three years, going 121-109 with two playoff appearances and one playoff series win.
Steve Kerr led the Warriors to the NBA Finals in each of the next five seasons after Jackson was fired.
Jackson was a well-respected player who spent 17 seasons in the NBA, primarily with the New York Knicks, and was a one-time All-Star.
The presence of James and Davis makes the Lakers an attractive place for prospective coaching candidates.
Jackson is likely one of many candidates who could be in the running for the job, and they range from huge names to less-heralded options.
According to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times, the Lakers are expected to consider several head coaches, including Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse, Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers, Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder and University of Michigan head coach Juwan Howard.
Turner noted that former Portland Trail blazers head coach Terry Stotts and Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach Darvin Ham have been mentioned the most often.
If he is offered the job, Jackson could use the chance to coach James and Davis, as he has been kicking the tires on coaching opportunities since returning to broadcasting.
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