Former Lakers, Kings head coach joins Pistons staff

The Pistons are hiring Luke Walton to join J.B. Bickerstaff‘s coaching staff as an assistant coach, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania (Twitter link). As noted by Charania, Walton has spent the last two seasons serving as an assistant in Cleveland under Bickerstaff.

Walton played in the NBA for the Lakers from 2003-12 and then spent the 2012-13 season with the Cavs before retiring. He then enjoyed brief stints as an assistant for the University of Memphis and the now-South Bay Lakers of the G League.

He got his first NBA coaching job in 2014 as an assistant for the Warriors for two seasons. He helped the organization win a title in 2014-15 and helped coach Golden State to its all-time-best 73-9 record in 2015-16. During Steve Kerr's absence to begin that season, Walton coached the Warriors to a 16-0 record. After that, he was hired by the Lakers as a first-time head coach.

The Lakers went 98-148 in three years under Walton. After leaving the Lakers, Walton was hired by the Kings as head coach where he won 68 games in a little more than two seasons. In all, Walton owns a 166-241 record as a head coach.