The Los Angeles Lakers have made a disappointing 3-5 start to the new season. According to ESPN, head coach Luke Walton was counted by team president Magic Johnson last Tuesday.
The Lakers just returned from a two-game, winless away trip, whereupon Johnson met with Walton and urged him to get better results quickly. According to the report, pressure within the organisation has already increased significantly.
Although Johnson had stressed several times at the start of the season that you have to be patient because the Lakers have so many new players in the squad, in this meeting he is said to have shown an aggressive tone. The Lakers’ narrow victory over Dallas has at least given Walton and his coaching staff some air.
The Lakers have just started the season defensively with big problems, but offensively the team around superstar LeBron James hasn’t had any trouble to score many points so far. Suspensions for Rajon Rondo and Brandon Ingram after a brawl against the Houston Rockets made things more difficult. Walton is said to still have a good standing with Lakers owner Jeanie Buss.
Walton was already asked about the rumours on Friday, but did not want to comment on them in detail. “I have a good relationship with management,” Walton said. “What we discuss in these meetings, however, remains between us. We still have some things to figure out, but that’s what I’m working on.”