Lakers receive permission to interview Ettore Messina for head coaching job

The Los Angeles Lakers are already making moves in their search for a new head coach. After parting ways with head coach Byron Scott on Sunday night, the Lakers front office sought and "received permission from the San Antonio Spurs to interview their lead assistant coach, Ettore Messina, as a possible replacement for the recently departed Byron Scott," according to Sam Amick of USA Today.

Amick reports that it's unknown as of right now when the Lakers plan to meet with Messina, but the Euroleague legend was on the "long list" of coaching candidates the team is reportedly compiling, along with Luke Walton, Jeff Van Gundy, and Kevin Ollie.

Messina is well known overseas as a standout X's and O's guy, spent a year with the Lakers under Mike Brown, and has been with the Spurs as an assistant since 2014. Messina has also presumably learned a lot about managing an NBA locker room from his numerous years as an assistant in arguably the best organization in the NBA.

The team expects to conduct a thorough coaching search and have a head coach in place before free agency begins, according to Mitch Kupchak, and Jim Buss is reportedly "partial" to Walton, but it would appear Messina has a real shot at landing the gig due to his Lakers ties and standout coaching chops.

Perhaps most significantly, the Lakers are moving full-steam ahead with their coaching search. Stay tuned to Silver Screen and Roll for all the latest news and updates.

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