The Lakers have not just made changes to their front office and player roster. They have also made tweaks to Luke Walton’s coaching staff.
The Lakers announced the hiring of Miles Simon as an assistant coach, which fills a vacancy stemmed from Theo Robertson leaving after the 2016-17 season for an assistant coaching position at the University of California. Simon had been working with players at the team’s practice facility in El Segundo in the past month, but the details of his contract were still being finalized.
Simon recently served as the head coach of the 2017 USA Junior National Select Team for the Nike Hoops Summit. He won gold medals as an assistant for the 2016 USA Men’s U17 World Championship team and 2015 U16 National team. And he also spent three seasons as an assistant at the University of Arizona (2005-08), shortly after Walton played there (1999-2003).
“I’m so thankful and blessed to be able to have this opportunity to work for such a great franchise like the Lakers,” Simon posted on his Twitter account.
The Lakers said Simon also spent the last nine NBA offseasons working in a player development role. Last summer, he was the Director of the Nike Basketball Academy. Simon, who also played at the University of Arizona (1994-98), played one season for the Orlando Magic (1998-99) before venturing oversees and in the CBA.
The rest of Walton’s coaching staff includes associate coach Brian Shaw as well as assistants Jesse Mermuys, Brian Keefe, Jud Buechler and Mark Madsen. Casey Owens is both an assistant coach and advance professional scout. And Clay Moser is both an assistant coach and the director of basketball strategy in the team’s analytics department.
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