As Russ covered yesterday, it appears that we’ve officially entered Kevin Ollie to the NBA Season as rumors have begun to circulate connecting the UConn coach with the Los Angeles Lakers’ head coach opening.
We’ve played this game before, most notably after UConn’s 2014 national championship run when Ollie’s name was connected to the Oklahoma City job in constant rumors. Conveniently for Ollie, those rumors (founded or not) fueled the university to offer him a big, and deserved, contract extension. Ollie became the highest paid state employee in Connecticut, and UConn proved to the world of college athletics that they were willing to step up to retain their top talent. It was a win/win, except for the team.
As Ollie and his representatives were dancing around the UConn administration, NBA teams and the media, at least one high profile recruit (Jessie Govan) chose another school (Georgetown) a week before the extension was announced.
Ollie did not fill two roster spots on his returning team, entering the 2014-15 season at a noticeable disadvantage. Depth issues hampered that team, especially once Ryan Boatright got injured, and they lost in the first round of the NIT.
With three open roster spots remaining on next year’s 2016-17 team, and fierce competition underway for the remaining recruits and transfers, UConn cannot afford another month or more of self-sabotage.
For Ollie, the reasons he would jump to his hometown Lakers are obvious. Start with money. Scott Brooks, not exactly Red Auerbach, just landed a $7 million-per-year contract with the Washington Wizards. As one of the marquee franchises in the sport, the Lakers figure to spend huge, if necessary. Ollie would also be LA’s prodigal son, returning to his roots, coaching seven miles from Crenshaw High School, where he played before coming to UConn in the early 1990s.
If Ollie ends up coaching the Lakers, fine. It’s a good job and good for Kevin.
However, the odds seem to be stacked against him. The Lakers will have their pick of almost any available candidate, including college coaches with longer resumes than Ollie. And while Ollie being an LA native is a nice story, it doesn’t exactly get the Lakers anything tangible. Their future success will be tied to player development and in luring high-caliber free agents. Ollie possesses a good reputation among NBA players and coaches, but no real experience in franchise building.
Given that, Ollie seems an unlikely pick for the Lakers. Yet, the longer this saga drags out – theoretically until the Finals end in mid-June if the Lakers are looking to interview assistants on NBA Playoffs teams – the more UConn will be negatively impacted.
There is no contract extension endgame this year. UConn is strapped for cash and, unless new athletic director David Benedict can pull a rabbit out of his hat, there isn’t money on hand to bump Ollie’s salary significantly higher than his current $2.8 million-per year. The only favorable result is quick resolution.
There is another favorable resolution. For KO to make a definitive public statement of no interest in leaving UConn.