Source: Lakers hire Ettore Messina

Updated: June 5, 2011, 6:57 PM ET
By Ric Bucher | ESPN The Magazine

Italian coach Ettore Messina has agreed to join Mike Brown's coaching staff with the Los Angeles Lakers, a source familiar with the negotiations said.

Messina will be listed as an assistant coach but will be behind the bench, not on it, and will serve in more of a consulting capacity, sources said.

Brown developed a relationship with Messina when he was head coach of the Cavaliers and Messina was the head coach of CSKA Moscow. Brown routinely flew to Italy, where Messina held CSKA's training camps, to pick up new ideas to use with the Cavs.

Senior writer Ric Bucher covers the NBA for ESPN The Magazine.

Ric Bucher

NBA Reporter, ESPN The Magazine Senior Writer

SPONSORED HEADLINES

EDITORS' PICKS

  • Quick And Easy
    The Kings' offense produced and Jonathan Quick was brilliant in a Game 5 win.
  • Back To The Top
    Will Dwight Howard ever return to his pre-injury dominance?
  • Well, This Is Awkward
    It might be premature for the Dodgers to send Andre Ethier off via trade.
  • Time To Dig Deep
    After Adams and Anderson, is UCLA's roster deep enough for the highest level?
  • 'I Laughed'
    When the Lakers went with Mike D'Antoni, Phil Jackson says he took it in stride.

MORE NBA HEADLINES