The Golden State Warriors have gotten off to a blazing hot start under interim head coach Luke Walton, steamrolling their way to 3-0. There's still no exact timetable for head coach Steve Kerr's return after back surgery, meaning Walton will at least have a fair amount of time to showcase his wares as a #1 guy. If Walton continues to shine in a leading role, he'll end up popping up on several shortlists for coaching vacancies around both college basketball and the pros. Here's four potential job openings that could pop up which Walton would have a decent shot of filling.
Sacramento Kings
This may be unfair to George Karl, but would you expect anything less than chaos from the Kings front office if this mish-mashed collection of talent fails to produce in 2015-16? Karl is already having problems reaching star big man DeMarcus Cousins, and you never know what you're going to get with Rajon Rondo in the locker room/on the court. Owner Vivek Ranadive is prone to hasty judgment calls, and it wouldn't surprise us if he decided to swing the pendulum from one extreme (a veteran coach like Karl) to the other (a rookie HC like Walton).
Los Angeles Lakers
It'd be a gutsy play by Lakers executive Jim Buss to punt on the Byron Scott era two years in, but what happens if Scott can't cultivate and amplify the upside of Jordan Clarkson and D'Angelo Russell this year? What if the losses continue to pile up and the Lakers head straight back into the dumpster fire like they did last year? Luke Walton's pedigree and eight-year playing career with Los Angeles make for intriguing resume points, especially if the Warriors continue to thrive while Steve Kerr continues his recovery.
Washington Huskies
Walton's Pac-12 connection and West Coast reputation may be of intrigue to the Huskies' athletic department. HC Lorenzo Romar may or may not be on the hot seat depending on who you ask, but we'd lean towards yes if UW puts up a similar Pac-12 record to their 5-13 mark in 2014-15. Walton is a name brand that would instantly boost Washington's profile in recruiting, helping them to compete with UCLA, Gonzaga and other Pacific time zone heavyweights on the trail.
New York Knicks
This might be the biggest stretch, considering the working relationship between team president Phil Jackson and former player/current HC Derek Fisher. Early results on year two of Fisher's stay in New York are very promising, as it appears he's getting more comfortable implementing Jackson's vision. However, if things take a sharp dive downward for the Knicks this season, Walton becomes an intriguing name to watch. He was reportedly set to take an assistant gig in NY before Steve Kerr intercepted prior to last season. Walton's loyalty to Phil Jackson reportedly runs deep, so it's at least a hypothetical to consider.
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