*Since the creation of this odds table, the Los Angeles Lakers head coaching vacancy was filled by former Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach and former NBA player Darvin Ham. This is Ham’s first time as an NBA head coach. After emerging from the woodwork, Ham surged past other candidates and became a +300 betting favorite to secure the position before officially being offered the job as head coach.*
The Los Angeles Lakers are looking for a new head coach after a disappointing season and former Golden State Warriors head coach Mark Jackson is the favorite to take the helm.
Check out Paulo Antunes’ take on who will be the Lakers’ next head coach.
Online sportsbook [Sportsbook not available for your region] has released odds on who will be the head coach for the Los Angeles Lakers to start the 2022-23 season with Jackson (+125) at the top of the list. He’s followed by David Fizdale (+450), Doc Rivers (+600), Nick Nurse (+600), Mike Brown (+800), Terry Stotts (+800) and Quin Snyder (+1200) to round out the top seven.
| Coach | Odds |
|---|---|
| Mark Jackson | +125 |
| David Fizdale | +450 |
| Doc Rivers | +600 |
| Nick Nurse | +600 |
| Mike Brown | +800 |
| Terry Stotts | +800 |
| Quin Snyder | +1200 |
| Kenny Atkinson | +1400 |
| Sam Cassell | +1800 |
| Steve Clifford | +2000 |
| Stan Van Gundy | +5000 |
| John Calipari | +5000 |
| Mike Krzyzewski | +6600 |
Odds as of April 20 at [Sportsbook not available for your region]
The Favorite: Mark Jackson (+125)
The fairly heavy favorite to receive the job is Mark Jackson at +125 at [Sportsbook not available for your region]. Jackson’s +125 odds imply that he has a 44.44 percent chance of becoming the new head coach. Clearly, the oddsmakers know something that many people do not.
As a spectator, Jackson is in the midst of a broadcasting career, but these odds indicate that he may be interested in returning to the sideline. The 57-year-old played 17 seasons in the NBA and spent three years as coach of the Golden State Warriors from 2011 to 2014.
Jackson had a solid record as head coach of the Warriors, going 121-109 (.526 win percentage) and leading the team to playoff appearances in 2013 and 2014. Jackson was replaced by current coach Steve Kerr and, yeah, you know the rest.
“Action” Jackson could be the guy that rights the ship for the Lakers.
Sleeper Pick: Terry Stotts (+800)
One potential coaching candidate I believe is flying under the radar is former Portland Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts.
Stotts had been around the NBA for 27 years dating back to 1994 before taking this year off. If he gets the itch to come back, the Lakers would be a perfect fit.
From the time he was hired by the Blazers in 2012 to when he stepped down in 2021, Stotts led the Blazers to six seasons in which the team finished above .500.
He also coached the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks in the early 2000s. The Iowa native has shown that he is a proven winner, which is exactly what the Lakers need heading into next season.
He recently coached the likes of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. Imagine what he could produce with players like LeBron James, Anthony Davis and a decent supporting cast.
