'Israeli David Blatt on list of candidates for Lakers' coaching vacancy'
Marquis coaching job opens up with firing of Byron Scott.
By JPOST.COM STAFFDavid Blatt is still licking his wounds after being fired by the Cleveland Cavaliers last week, but his next job in the NBA could be just beyond the horizon.(photo credit: REUTERS)
Israeli basketball coach David Blatt is among the candidates the Los Angeles Lakers will consider to replace Byron Scott, who was fired Sunday after two disappointing seasons atop one of the NBA's marquis franchises, ESPN reported.Blatt was fired as coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers in January, despite having taken the team to the NBA Finals last year and having the Eastern Conference's best record this season.Blatt's dismissal from Cleveland came amid rumors that there was unrest in the locker room, particularly with star player Lebron James.Sources told ESPN that Blatt is one of many candidates on the list to fill the coveted Lakers' vacancy, which also includes Luke Walton, Kevin Ollie, Jay Wright, Roy Williams, Tom Izzo, John Calipari, Ettore Messina and Jeff Van Gundy.The Lakers finished with the league's second worst record in the 2015-2016 season, and saw the retirement of superstar Kobe Bryant after 20 years. The job would likely be a rebuliding situation for whichever coach the Lakers choose to replace Scott.Blatt's firing from Cleveland was largely jeered in Israel, where he is wildly popular as the former coach of Maccabi Tel Aviv. He had great success at the helm of Maccabi, winning a Euroleague championship in 2014.