Bickerstaff speaks with Lakers’ brass

While the Los Angeles Lakers continued their search for a new coach by interviewing JB Bickerstaff on Friday, according to several people with knowledge of the situation, about two dozen fans gathered at Staples Center to protest the team’s direction.Bickerstaff, the former Memphis Grizzlies coach, became the second candidate the Lakers have interviewed at their training facility in El Segundo this week after reaching an impasse in talks to hire former Cleveland Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue.Former Indiana Pacers and Orlando Magic coach Frank Vogel interviewed with the Lakers on Thursday, according to those people, who were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.Bickerstaff met with Lakers owner Jeanie Buss, general manager Rob Pelinka, co-owners Joey Buss and Jesse Buss, president of business operations Tim Harris, director of special projects Linda Rambis and senior adviser Kurt Rambis, according to the people. Meanwhile, around noon at Staples Center, Lakers fan Charlie Rivers of Phoenix assembled with approximately 30 others to voice their displeasure with the state of the franchise after missing the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season. He organised the group this week through Reddit, a social news aggregation site. The protest featured fans chanting and holding signs. At one point, the protesters broke out a chant of “Fire Rambis!” in reference to Linda Rambis, a close friend and confidante of Jeanie Buss.“This is about the direction they’re taking their basketball operations at the moment,” said Rivers, who was born in Anaheim and was interacting with other fans on Reddit when it was suggested he organise a protest.“It’s an impromptu protest. It happened on Wednesday evening” on Reddit. “It’s Friday noon, it’s about a day and a half, and here we are. Apparently the news covered it.”There appeared to be more media and onlookers than actual protesters. At one point, Clippers super fan Clipper Darrell showed up and mocked Lakers fans, shouting out, “The Laker era is over!” The Lakers have been trying to hire a coach since they and Luke Walton mutually agreed to part ways on April 12. The next coach the Lakers hire will be their fifth in eight years. Walton’s departure came after Magic Johnson held an impromptu news conference before the team’s final game of the season to announce he was stepping down as president of basketball operations.Bickerstaff, 40, was fired on April 11 by the Grizzlies after the team missed the playoffs with a record of 33-49. He had been hired by Memphis as the associate head coach in 2016, but was promoted to interim head coach on Nov. 27, 2017, after head coach David Fizdale was fired. Bickerstaff was named the head coach of the Grizzlies on May 1, 2018.He was also the interim coach of the Rockets after Houston fired Kevin McHale on Nov. 18, 2015. Bickerstaff led the Rockets to the playoffs, but they lost in the first round to the top-seeded Golden State Warriors and he withdrew his name from the head-coaching search with Houston. Bickerstaff, who is the son of former NBA coach Bernie Bickerstaff, has an overall record of 85-131 as a head coach.Vogel, 45, had his best moments as coach of the Pacers for five-plus seasons, leading them to the playoffs five out of the six seasons he was there, including a postseason berth when he took over as the interim coach in 2011.Under Vogel’s guidance, Indiana advanced to the Eastern Conference finals in 2013 and 2014 before losing to the LeBron James-led Miami Heat. Vogel spent two seasons with the Magic before being fired after the 2018 season.Other candidates the Lakers are considering include former Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks coach Mike Woodson and former Memphis Grizzlies and Brooklyn Nets coach Lionel Hollins. The team also will continue to consider Miami Heat assistant Juwan Howard and former Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks coach Jason Kidd, both of whom were interviewed in April.Lue, 42, was offered a three-year, $18-million contract, which was two years and $7 million short of what he was willing to accept, according to people familiar with the offer. Lue and the Lakers ended negotiations on Wednesday.