The Los Angeles Lakers are finalizing a deal to hire former New York Knicks and Memphis Grizzlies head coach David Fizdale as an assistant, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Wednesday.
Fizdale had been pursued for several lead assistant openings this offseason and will now join Frank Vogel’s staff with the Lakers.
He accepted the Lakers position over a more lucrative offer from the Indiana Pacers, a source told The Undefeated’s Marc J. Spears. A longtime assistant under Erik Spoelstra with the Miami Heat, Fizdale preferred being reunited with LeBron James and being home in Los Angeles, as well as the Lakers’ title chances, the source said.
James and Fizdale communicated after he agreed to the deal, according to the source.
In his two stints as a head coach, Fizdale lasted less than two seasons both times. He was fired by New York just 22 games into the 2019-20 season and was 21-83 overall as Knicks coach. With Memphis, he went 50-51 overall — taking the Grizzlies to the playoffs in his first season before he was fired after a 7-12 start in the 2017-18 season.