Mike D’Antoni
LOS ANGELES— Mike D’Antoni’s agent says the Los Angeles Lakers have signed the former coach of the Suns and Knicks to a four-year contract to replace Mike Brown.
Warren Legarie confirmed the deal late Sunday night, two days after the Lakers fired Brown five games into the season.
D’Antoni got the job over former Lakers coach Phil Jackson. The 11-time NBA champion coach spoke to the club’s top brass Saturday about a return.
Instead, the Lakers went with D’Antoni, who spent five seasons coaching Lakers point guard Steve Nash in Phoenix. D’Antoni then coached New York for the past three seasons, resigning last March.
The Los Angeles Times first reported D’Antoni’s hiring several hours after the Lakers beat Sacramento 103-90 for their second straight win under interim coach Bernie Bickerstaff.