Miles Simon in talks to become next head coach of South Bay Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers are in talks with assistant coach Miles Simon to make him the head coach of the South Bay Lakers, league sources tell Silver Screen and Roll. Multiple sources said that all momentum points towards a deal getting done.

Zach Lowe of ESPN reports that Simon will continue to have a role on Lakers head coach Frank Vogel’s bench, although at this time it is unclear exactly what that role would be. South Bay parted ways with previous head coach Coby Karl last month after his contract expired and they declined to renew it.

Simon, a national champion as a player at Arizona in 1997, was hired by the Lakers in 2017 with a focus on player development. He was the only coach to make it through the transition from Luke Walton to Frank Vogel in 2019, and served as an assistant on the Lakers’ summer league championship team in 2017 before head coaching the summer squad to a Finals appearance in 2018.

Simon reportedly also interviewed for the Wildcats head coaching job at his alma mater this offseason before Arizona ultimately hired Tommy Lloyd. Simon’s reassisgment would leave a theoretical opening behind the bench for Vogel, but it remains to be seen how much he can still contribute there in his new, potential hybrid role. Vogel’s three bench assistant spots are already filled by the returning Phil Handy, the promoted Mike Penberthy, and the newly added David Fizdale.

The South Bay Lakers did not play last season after the parent organization elected not to send a team to the G League bubble and instead keep their previous pair of two-way contract players, Devontae Cacok and Kostas Antetokounmpo, with the team as potential emergency reinforcements during a pandemic season.

Once Simon’s deal is finalized, he will be in charge of developing their pair of new two-way prospects, Joel Ayayi and Austin Reaves, as well as likely South Bay additions Mac McClung and Chaundee Brown, along with any other players who come through the Lakers’ G League team.

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