Lakers Can't Land Nick Nurse, So Now They Hope To Talk To Raptors Assistant Adrian Griffin

Dear Los Angeles Lakers, forget about Nick Nurse as your next head coach. He said so himself. So the Lakers know that.

That is perhaps why they are requesting to interview one of his assistant coaches instead. That would be none other than Adrian Griffin, who has assisted Nurse with the Toronto Raptors since 2018.

Per Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Lakers have indeed asked to speak with Griffin.

Of course, he is just the latest name to surface as a possibility for the Lakers vacancy. Others include Warriors assistant Mike Brown (link), ESPN analyst Mark Jackson (link), former Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts (link), Bucks assistant Darvin Ham, Jazz assistant Alex Jensen (link) and former Wizards and Thunder coach Scott Brooks (link).

Meanwhile, Nurse has shot down any talk of having interest in the Lakers job. "I don’t know where that stuff comes from and I’m focused on coaching (the Raptors),” he told reporters.

Griffin, 47, has also been an assistant with the Magic, Thunder, Bulls and Bucks, dating back to 2008. He also played in the NBA from 1999-2008, as a major journeyman, with six different teams. But the bottom line is the man knows the NBA.

While Griffin has been a candidate in multiple spots, including with the Pelicans and Cavaliers, he has never been able to land a head-coaching gig. Raptors president Masai Ujiri said at a recent press conference that he thinks all of that could soon change.

“I think Adrian is right there on the cusp of becoming a head coach in this league,” Ujiri said.

The Lakers may think so, too.

Follow Sam Amico @HoopsWire