Juwan Howard declined interest from Lakers for head coaching vacancy

Michigan State head coach Juwan Howard resisted a potential candidacy for the Los Angeles Lakers head coaching vacancy, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Lakers have been contacting a formal search after firing head coach Frank Vogel at the end of the 2021-22 season. The Lakers never made a formal offer to Howard, but never made a formal request to the Michigan State coach.

According to Woj, Howard did not have interest in being among the candidates for the head coaching position. Howard served as an assistant coach with the Miami Heat from 2013 to 2019.

Howard is 93-61 in three seasons at Michigan and was named national coach of the year in 2021.

The Lakers have reportedly narrowed their search to three candidates — Milwaukee Bucks assistant Darvin Ham, Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson and former Portland Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts.

Darvin Ham has been with the Bucks since 2018, following Milwaukee head coach Mike Budenholzer from the Atlanta Hawks. He won the NBA championship last season along with long-time coaching partner in Milwaukee.

Stotts hasn’t coached since parting ways with the Portland Trail Blazers following the 2020-21 season. Atkinson served as Brooklyn’s head coach from 2016 to 2020. He served as an assistant coach with the Clippers and the Warriors the next two seasons.

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