The Los Angeles Lakers add another key piece to their coaching staff with former Toronto Raptors assistant Phil Handy set to join the LA bench for next season, according to Marc Spears of The Undefeated.
The Lakers are hiring Phil Handy as an assistant coach, a source said. The former Raptors assistant will be at the front of the bench with the Lakers. He also coached in five straight NBA Finals winning two titles.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpearsESPN) July 14, 2019
Handy spent last season with the Raptors after five years with the Cleveland Cavaliers, bringing some familiarity for LeBron James after working with him during their four-straight trips to the NBA Finals.
The 47-year-old specialises in player development, working closely with Kyrie Irving early in his career during his time with Cleveland and most recently overseeing Pascal's Siakam's meteoric rise to win Most Improved Player of the Year with the Raptors in 2018/19.
Handy, who previously worked on the Lakers staff from 2011-2013 is widely regarded as one of the best in the business and will be a huge asset for the Lakers younger players in Kyle Kuzma, Quinn Cook, Alex Caruso and second-round pick Talen Horton-Tucker.
