The Los Angeles Lakers coaching drama has reared it ugly head yet again after Mike D'Antoni resigned from his position last week once he realized the team would not be picking up the option on the final year of his contract. D'Antoni was scheduled to coach next season, but he walked away from guaranteed money because he did not want to be a lame-duck coach working without any certainly.

Los Angeles has struggled to replace legendary coach Phil Jackson after he retired in 2011. The team has since gone through two full-time and an interim coach in that span. Rumors have already begin to surface that the Lakers are looking to make a splash with their next hire, but they will probably wait until after the playoffs are complete and free agency begins. Sportsbook.ag has released a set of odds as to who will be the next coach of the team. Let's take a closer look with predictions and analysis.

Kevin Ollie: +200

There have already been reports, or rumors, that the National Championship-winning coach of the Connecticut Huskies, Ollie, has been contacted and will be meeting with the Lakers within the next few weeks. Ollie has stated that he is not interested in the job but will listen to Los Angeles' offers.

Prediction : very few coaches make the jump from college to the NBA level, and Ollie, who is coming off a National Championship season, is better served staying put.

Tom Thibodeau: +400

Thibodeau is without a doubt the best coach that Los Angeles can hire, but the question is whether or not he is available and what exactly the Lakers would have to give up to get him. Kobe Bryant recently stated that the Chicago Bulls' coach is at the top of this wish list for coaches.

Prediction : Chicago has given no indication that it plans to blow up its current team and rebuild. Thibodeau is not leaving.

Mark Jackson: +500

Jackson being relieved of his coaching duties after Golden State's first-round loss to the Los Angeles Clippers was just a formality (he was let go three days after the team was eliminated). The coach's third season was filled with behind-the-scenes drama involving assistant coaches and Golden State's owner. Jackson definitely has his shortcomings as a coach, but he is exactly the type of hire Los Angeles is looking to make.

Prediction : Jackson is on a very short list of legitimate candidates, and I would expect him to be Los Angeles next coach.

John Calipari: +600

Calipari has stated time and time again that he is not looking to coach in the NBA. Most experts ignore those comments, however, and believe the Kentucky coach would love to redeem himself for his failed NBA coaching stint in the late 90s. Calipari recently said is has no interest in the Lakers job.

Prediction : At this point we have to take Calipari at this word and believe that the coach is staying in Kentucky.

Byron Scott: +800

Former Laker Byron Scott makes sense on paper; he is an excellent coach with a solid resume and is a Lakers legend to boot. Scott may not be the most high-profile candidate that the team can sign, and his failed stint in Cleveland might still be too fresh on everyone's mind to make this a realistic option.

Prediction : Lakers management has shown very little interests in bringing a former Los Angeles player as a coach, and if Jim Buss already passed on Brian Shaw, there is little chance to goes with Scott.

Stan Van Gundy: +1000

Van Gundy is a name that comes up every time there is a coaching position open. He his currently being speculated for both the Lakers and Warriors jobs, but in all actually will probably not get either. Van Gundy has stayed under the radar since he was fired from Orlando a few years ago and may not even want to get back into the business.

Prediction : Van Gundy is unlikely to even meet with the Lakers, but his name will continue to come up in rumors.

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