Head coach Luke Walton reflected on his days as a Memphis Tigers assistant when the Lakers visited the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday, injuries have held Los Angeles back from serving as a dark-horse contender in the early going and some are wondering whether Luol Deng fits on the roster.
With that in mind, here is a closer look at some of the recent news surrounding the Purple and Gold.
Luke Walton Did Not Like NCAA Rulebook
The Lakers lost Saturday's game to the Grizzlies, 103-100, but Walton turned some heads off the court when he discussed his four-month stint as an assistant coach at Memphis under Josh Pastner.
According to Mark Medina of the Orange County Register, the NCAA mandated Walton could work with players for just 30 minutes twice a week. While the coach called it a "good experience," he felt limited, per Medina:
I didn't get to spend as much time working with the players as I would have liked. A lot of it was spending it in the office, recruiting and things like that. It was a good experience to see that side of it. But as far as working with the younger guys, I don't think how it's set up right now is best for a lot of these young players.
Walton added, "You're not going to tell a doctor in med school he can only study 30 minutes twice a week."
The coach said the "other stuff" beyond just working with the players on the court helped him realize the NBA was probably a better fit, which is likely welcome news for Lakers fans enjoying the team's resurgence in his first season on the sidelines.
Los Angeles forward Tarik Black played for that Memphis team and averaged 10.7 points per game in 2011-12. The Tigers ...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
