TUCSON, Ariz. - The Los Angeles Lakers parted ways with coach Luke Walton, a former Arizona Wildcats basketball standout. In a tweet, the Lakers described the parting as a mutual agreement.
The Los Angeles Lakers and Luke Walton have mutually agreed to part ways.
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) April 12, 2019
"We would like to thank Luke for his dedicated service over the last three years," said General Manager Rob Pelinka. "We wish Luke and his family the best of luck moving forward."https://t.co/3cgU3WPgnJ
The 39-year-old Walton, who played at UA from 1999 to 2003, had coached the Lakers since 2016. Before that, he served as an assistant on former UA player Steve Kerr's staff at Golden State.
Walton played in the NBA from 2003 to 2013, winning two NBA titles as a Lakers player.
The Lakers finished 37-45 this year and missed the playoffs in all three seasons Walton was at the helm. Expectations increased considerably when the team added superstar LeBron James via free agency.
He may not be out of a job for long. The Sacramento Kings have reportedly expressed interest in hiring Walton.
