Lakers haven’t abandoned hope of Doc Rivers becoming available?

Suspicions persist in league coaching circles that the Lakers have not completely abandoned hope that Philadelphia’s Doc Rivers becomes unexpectedly available — despite the recent insistence from Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey that Rivers will be back in Philly next season.
Source: Marc Stein @ marcstein.substack.com

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Austin Krell @NBAKrell
The Doc Rivers rumor mill is heating up:
thepaintedlines.com/rumors-doc-riv… – 6:12 PM

Gery Woelfel @GeryWoelfel
There are always rumors galore at NBA pre-draft camps and this year isn’t any different. Two long-running rumors that are gaining increased traction here in Chicago:
1. Doc Rivers to the Lakers (draft pick/picks as compensation).
2. Mike D’Antoni to replace Rivers in Philly. – 1:47 PM

More on this storyline

There’s also this: One source close to the situation told me over the weekend that the list of coaches under consideration by the Lakers is “still wider” than the reported trio of Ham, Stotts and Atkinson. -via marcstein.substack.com / May 23, 2022

As written here on May 2, Ham is also long overdue for a head coaching shot and is known to possess the confidence/presence/demeanor to not only forge a working relationship with James and Anthony Davis but likewise let them know that he does intend to coach them. If the Lakers have no shot at a more established coach like Rivers or Utah’s Quin Snyder, my presumption, frankly, is that they would want to hire Ham as head coach and try to convince Stotts to accept a top assistant/offensive coordinator role that he’s overqualified for. -via marcstein.substack.com / May 23, 2022

Theoretically, what type of person should coach the Lakers next? Magic Johnson: I think that, to me, they’re showing you, right now. Probably besides Erik Spoelstra, all the other three that’s in the final four are ex-players. So, I think that says a lot about these young ex-players who command respect right away, who have done it before. I’m not saying it has to be an ex-player, but I’m saying you have to look at what’s going on. Most of the guys who are in the playoffs. But the most important thing to me is accountability. They must hold everybody, one through 15, accountable. And we got away from accountability. Guys never talked about that this season. It was always somebody else’s fault. I hated that. Never, ‘Hey, I played bad. Hey, It’s on me.’ So whether it’s an ex-player or not, but the trend is ex-players. But if not, I want a coach that’s going to hold everybody accountable. And, so, that’s what I would like to see. -via The Athletic / May 23, 2022