JB Bickerstaff a candidate for Luke Walton's Lakers coaching staff

Former Houston Rockets interim head coach JB Bickerstaff "could join the Los Angeles Lakers coaching staff," according to Calvin Watkins of ESPN. Watkins writes that Bickerstaff has "has a good relationship with newly hired coach Luke Walton," and could head to Los Angeles to join his staff if he doesn't end up staying with the Rockets.

Bickerstaff was a well-regarded assistant coach in Houston before taking over as interim coach in the wake of Kevin McHale's firing. The Rockets went 37-34 under Bickerstaff, making the playoffs as the eighth seed in the Western Conference before losing to the Golden State Warriors in five games in the first round.

Adrian Wojnarowski of the Vertical reports that Bickerstaff has "withdraw from consideration for [the] Rockets' job" on Monday following a meeting with team ownership and the front office, and he could be an interesting candidate to join the Lakers' coaching staff.

Bickerstaff is by all accounts a hard worker and a valuable assistant, and if he has a strong relationship with Walton, there is no reason he couldn't be a good addition to his staff.

Bickerstaff also does have some Lakers' ties, as his father Bernie Bickerstaff boasts the best winning percentage of any Lakers head coach (.800), according to Basketball-Reference. He only coached five games following Mike Brown being fired in 2013, but still.

You can follow this author on Twitter at @hmfaigen.