The Lakers acquired a big man, and no it’s not Dwight Howard.
Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni added former Lakers forward Mark Madsen to his coaching staff. Although he doesn’t have a specific title yet, he’s expected to serve as a player development coach. Madsen was originally hired in mid-May to coach the D-Fenders, the Lakers’ Development League affiliate. With Madsen’s sudden promotion, the D-Fenders will soon search for a replacement.
D’Antoni had also hired Larry Lewis as a player development coach after spending the past two seasons on the D-Fenders coaching staff. D’Antoni is expected to hire two more assistant coaches, but it won’t include his top choices. Alvin Gentry, who was an assistant under D’Antoni with the Phoenix, will work as an assistant with the Clippers under Doc Rivers. Former Portland coach and Team USA colleague Nate McMillan reportedly will join the Indiana Pacers as an assistant.
D’Antoni’s brother, Dan, marks the lone member of the Lakers’ 2012-13 staff. Eddie Jordan took the Rutgers’ head-coach job before the 2013 NBA playoffs. D’Antoni informed both Bernie Bickerstaff and Chuck Person shortly after the Lakers’ first-round exit to San Antonio they would not be retained. Steve Clifford took a head-coaching job with the Charlotte Bobcats. Both Phil Handy and Darvin Ham joined the respective Cleveland and Atlanta coaching staffs with a larger assistant role.
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Follow L.A. Daily News Lakers beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter. E-mail him at mark.medina@dailynews.com