Video: Sam Cassell Says He Wants 'an Opportunity' to Be NBA HC amid Lakers Rumors
Mike Chiari@@mikechiari
Featured Columnist IVMay 17, 2024
Boston Celtics assistant coach Sam Cassell said Friday that he wants the chance to prove himself as an NBA head coach.
During an appearance on the Point Game podcast with former NBA guard John Wall, Cassell noted that he wants a head coaching opportunity and knows he could succeed in the role:
BASKETBALL ON 𝕏 @BASKETBALLonXSam Cassell - who is a candidate for the Lakers job - says the last thing he wants to accomplish is becoming an NBA head coach! <br><br>"I just know if I get an opportunity, I'm gonna be a good head coach. I understand what it takes to get a player going…"<br><br>[via <a href="https://twitter.com/pointgamepod?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@pointgamepod</a> ] <a href="https://t.co/31zB0TG0Mo">pic.twitter.com/31zB0TG0Mo</a>
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Los Angeles Lakers were granted permission this week to interview several candidates for their vacant head coaching position, including Cassell.
The Lakers fired Darvin Ham earlier this month after just two seasons as head coach. He led L.A. to the playoffs twice, but a first-round playoff exit against the Denver Nuggets this season spelled the end of his tenure.
Following Ham's dismissal, the Lakers wasted little time in starting their coaching search. Shams Charania and Jovan Buha of The Athletic reported this week that Cassell, former Charlotte Hornets head coach and current New Orleans Pelicans assistant coach James Borrego and former NBA guard JJ Redick are the early front-runners for the job.
Cassell, 54, has been in coaching since 2009, spending time with the Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers and Celtics as an assistant.
This season marks his best opportunity yet to win a championship as a coach since the Celtics had the NBA's best record during the regular season at 64-18. With Cassell helping lead the way, Boston has advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Prior to coaching, Cassell was a highly successful NBA guard, playing for eight different teams over the course of 15 NBA seasons.
Cassell won two championships with the Houston Rockets in 1994 and 1995, and one with the Celtics in 2008. He was also an All-Star with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2003-04, averaging a career-high 19.8 points per game to go along with 7.3 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals.
Frank Vogel helped coach the LeBron James and Anthony Davis-led Lakers to a championship in 2020. He was fired two years later, and it seemed a concerted effort was made to replace him with a coach with high-level playing experience who would be respected by James, Davis and the rest of the roster.
Cassell undoubtedly fits that description, plus he has a wealth of coaching experience, and has seemingly earned the opportunity to show what he can do in a head coaching capacity.