Nick Nurse has moved to play down reports he could leave Toronto Raptors to replace Frank Vogel as head coach of Los Angeles Lakers.
Phoenix Suns are 5/2 to win the NBA Championship outright and Miami Heat can be backed at 9/2.
Lakers miss playoffs
Vogel led the Lakers to Championship glory in 2020 but was dismissed at the end of the regular season this year after they missed out on the playoffs as they finished in 11th place in the Western Conference with a 33-49 overall record.
There has been plenty of speculation as to who the Lakers could turn to as they seek a replacement for Vogel and Nurse's name has been mentioned by various sources.
The Raptors coach won the championship in 2019 and was named Coach of the Year in 2020 after leading Toronto to the Conference semifinals despite losing star man Kawhi Leonard in the offseason after their title success.
Focused on job at hand
The 54-year-old is widely considered to be the Lakers' top target, but Nurse has stressed he isn't looking to leave his current team.
"I don't know where that stuff comes from and I'm focused on coaching this team," he said, via Fadeaway World.
The Lakers underachieved last season as injuries impacted their chances, and it remains to be seen if they can rebuild a competitive team over the offseason due to their aging roster.
The likes of Milwaukee Bucks assistant Darvin Ham and Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder have also been mentioned as possible targets for the Lakers.
Related Articles
NBA
NBA: Golden State Warriors @ Los Angeles Lakers preview
The NBA regular season resumes on Thursday night after the All-Star break and one of the standout ties sees defending champions Golden State Warriors make the trip to Los Angeles Lakers.
bet365 News Team
Oct 04 2023
NBA
NBA: Los Angeles Clippers @ Los Angeles Lakers Preview
When the LA Clippers made huge offseason moves for Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in the summer of 2019, the status of this clash got elevated.
bet365 News Team
Oct 04 2023
NBA
Los Angeles Lakers Odds, Predictions and 2023/24 Season Preview
The Los Angeles Lakers are preparing for their second season under coach Darvin Ham and will once again feel they can launch a challenge for the championship after losing in last season's conference finals.
bet365 News Team
Oct 13 2023