Lakers Going After Warriors Assistant Ron Adams
By Jeff Weisinger
If the Lakers get their way, the Lakers-Warriors rivalry may hit another level in LeBron James’ second year in Hollywood.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Ohm Youngmisuk report the Lakers received permission to talk to Warriors assistant coach Ron Adams about a potential role on new Lakers’ head coach Frank Vogel’s staff.
Reporting w/ @wojespn: The Lakers received permission from Golden State to talk to assistant Ron Adams about a role on Frank Vogel's staff, league sources tell ESPN. It’s unclear Adams' level of interest but Lakers could make case more compelling with significant financial offer.
— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) June 22, 2019
Since Adams’ arrival in Oakland in 2014, he’s led the Warriors dynasty on the defensive side of the ball to the tune of three titles in five straight trips to the NBA Finals. He’s been the architect behind Golden State’s switch-heavy defense scheme, and oversaw the emergence of Draymond Green as a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate.
There’s been no indications that Adams wants to leave the now-San Francisco bound Warriors; however, if he leaves for Los Angeles, he’ll join a staff that includes two other former head coaches in Jason Kidd and Lionel Hollins. Adams would be in charge of revamping the Lakers defense in a similar way he built the one in Golden State.
The Lakers are prepared to offer big money, but the biggest question will be if Adams wants to leave the team he helped lead to historical success. The Warriors will probably pony up whatever yearly salary the Lakers are offering, but if Adams decides he’d like to try his hand at crafting a defense around Anthony Davis, they can’t do much to prevent it. Warriors fans can only cross their fingers and hope.