Lakers will be interviewing Kenny Atkinson for head coaching job

The Los Angeles Lakers have reportedly received permission to interview Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson for their head coaching vacancy.

The Los Angeles Lakers moved on from Frank Vogel after three seasons as head coach. Now, they are conducting a search for a new bench boss, with Phil Jackson reportedly providing input. We are now aware of an interview Los Angeles is prepared to have.

According to ESPN senior NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the Lakers have received permission to interview Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson for their head coaching position.

Lakers receive permission to interview Kenny Atkinson for head coaching position

As Wojnarowski states, this is not the first interview Atkinson has received this offseason. He also spoke with the Charlotte Hornets, who fired James Borrego following their elimination from the play-in tournament.

Atkinson joined the Warriors coaching staff as an assistant heading into the 2021-22 season. Prior to that, he was a member of Tyronn Lue’s staff with the Los Angeles Clippers for the 2020-21 campaign.

But, Atkinson is perhaps best known or his tenure as head coach of the Brooklyn Nets. He was hired by the team in 2016. The Nets made the playoffs in 2019 as the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference, the first time they clinched a berth since 2014. Brooklyn was eliminated in five games by the Philadelphia 76ers.

Towards the end of the 2019-20 season, Atkinson resigned as Nets head coach.

Overall, Atkinson has a 118-190 regular-season record and a 1-4 playoff record.

The Warriors coaching staff has received plenty of interest this offseason, with associate head coach Mike Brown accepting a deal to be the head coach of the Sacramento Kings.

It remains to be seen who the Lakers hire, as they try to find solutions this offseason after missing the playoffs and finishing 11th in the Western Conference.