Lakers to hire David Fizdale as assistant coach
FLE — New York Knicks coach David Fizdale reacts during the first half of the team’s NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019, at Madison Square Garden in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
The Los Angeles Lakers are set to hire former NBA head coach David Fizdale as their new assistant coach, ESPN reported Wednesday.
Fizdale, 47, would replace Jason Kidd on Frank Vogel’s staff. Kidd left the Lakers to become the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks.
Fizdale compiled a 71-134 record in parts of four seasons as the head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies (2016-17) and New York Knicks (2018-190). The Knicks fired Fizdale after a 4-18 start to the 2019-20 season. Fizdale was fired by the Grizzlies in November 2017, just 19 games into his second season there.
Fizdale was an assistant coach in Miami for eight seasons under Erik Spoelstra, during which LeBron James led the Heat to two NBA titles.
Fizdale, a Los Angeles native, also spent time as an assistant with Golden State and the Atlanta Hawks.
