There has been an interesting development in the NBA early on in the 2015-16 season. The head coach of the champion Golden State Warriors, Steve Kerr, has been sidelined with medical issues and that’s left the team in the hands of capable assistant Luke Walton.
While that wouldn’t normally be a big deal, the Warriors just set an NBA record – a record unmatched in any of the four major sports – by winning the first 21 games of the season. While the NBA has clarified that Kerr will still get credit for the wins, Walton’s name has become a hot commodity in NBA circles in terms of a future hire. It’s no surprise he leads our list of the top assistants in the NBA.
Luke Walton
Golden State Warriors
Walton took over as the Warriors’ interim head coach after Steve Kerr was forced to the sidelines following a pair of offseason back surgeries and Golden State hasn’t missed a beat with an NBA-record 21 straight wins to open the season.
There will certainly be some debate about the impact that Walton has had on an absolutely loaded Warriors’ team but he was named the top coach in the Western Conference for October and November. Setting aside the conversation of that he won’t officially get credited with his team’s wins (because of his interim status), he will still reportedly be considered for NBA Coach of the Year honors if he deserves to be. There is currently no timetable for Kerr’s return and it’s clear this opportunity has provided a major boost to Walton’s stock as a future head coach in the NBA.
Adrian Griffin
Orlando Magic
Griffin spent five seasons as an assistant coach for the Chicago Bulls before he reached an agreement with the Magic this past summer to become their new lead assistant coach. It might only be a matter of time before another team comes calling for his services.
Griffin has an impressive resume as a former player who learned under Tom Thibodeau in Chicago and is currently working under Scott Skiles in Orlando. He is definitely high on the list of candidates that will be considered once a head coaching position opens up.
Tyronn Lue
Cleveland Cavaliers
The former point guard spent three seasons learning under Doc Rivers with both the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers and made such a strong impression on the Cleveland Cavaliers that they decided to give him more than $6 million to join their staff as an assistant to David Blatt. The players absolutely love Lue and his passion and knowledge of the game are two of the biggest aspects that make him a strong candidate to become an NBA head coach in the near future.
Lue signed a four-year deal with the Cavaliers last summer but it’s hard to imagine him seeing out that term when he will be heavily pursued by teams that aren’t happy with their current situations.
Ettore Messina
San Antonio Spurs
There is no such thing as finding another coach as good as Gregg Popovich but the next best thing might be a veteran assistant that has spent time learning under him in San Antonio. That is one of the reasons Messina is considered a strong candidate to eventually become a head coach. The 56-year-old Messina has a ton of experience around the world – including four Euroleague championships – and his time with the Spurs has helped him to learn the North American style of play and what it will take to become a quality NBA head coach at some point.
[related_post_one]
Mike Woodson
Los Angeles Clippers
Woodson has two decades of coaching experience at the NBA level including head coaching jobs with the Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks. He wasn’t great in either of those two stints but he is still well regarded and it might only be a matter of time before he takes another head coaching role. Woodson is currently serving under Doc Rivers as an assistant with the Clippers but given the fact there is a shortage of quality names for future openings, expect his to be in the mix.
