HoopsHype.com Rumors

Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak was supportive of D’Antoni in comments made during his exit interview last week, appreciating what he did in a season stained by constant injuries. “To Mike’s credit, he made adjustments,” said Kupchak. “Once we started getting players back and once he started to see what our real strengths were, he was flexible and made adjustments, and that’s when we started to win games and gather momentum.” Lakers.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Mitch Kupchak, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni 

With the Lakers in full-on evaluation mode after getting swept in the first round by the Spurs, coach Mike D'Antoni is actively exploring his long-standing desire to add a defensive-minded assistant. D'Antoni's first choice is believed to be McMillan, but with the fellow Team USA assistant expected to land a head coaching job, coaching sources believe D'Antoni will get the green light to add former Suns coach Alvin Gentry to his staff for next season. CBSSports.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni 

Dave McMenamin: Kupchak on D'Antoni's future: "Nothing has changed from my comments two weeks ago" Meaning, Mike D will be back. Twitter @mcten

Los Angeles Lakers, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni 

Mike Trudell: It does say something that most of the criticism on D'Antoni comes outside the team. Players, GM, ownership have all defended him. Twitter @LakersReporter

Los Angeles Lakers, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni 

Dave McMenamin: D'Antoni on 'We want Phil!': "I knew what I was stepping into ... It's not the most pleasant thing, but not something that I was shocked" Twitter @mcten

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni 

Dave McMenamin: Kobe on the major minutes leading to his Achilles injury: "Mike's really going to tell me when to go in and out of the game?" Twitter @mcten

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Mike D'Antoni, Injuries 

Serena Winters: Jodie Meeks says D'Antoni's system fits him perfectly. Twitter

Los Angeles Lakers, Mike D'Antoni, Jodie Meeks 

But the Lakers keep saying that D'Antoni's job is safe and there are no rumblings to the contrary. The best thing he has going for him is that the Lakers don't want to go through a new coach every season, because that only brings attention to the failure of those hiring the coaches. (Talk about unfair: The NBA coach in Los Angeles who's generating bigger scratches on the NBA rumor Richter scale is Vinny Del Negro, even though his team won the Pacific Division and at least two playoff games.) ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni 

As Gasol decompresses from the season, his immediate plans include getting together with someone else who has showed loyalty to him: Phil Jackson. "We text, we e-mail and we've gotten together once [since D'Antoni was hired] also," Gasol told ESPNLosAngeles.com. "So, we have good communication, good friendship, and hopefully I'll see him in the next few days, too." ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni 

Gasol said he had "certain desires that [Jackson] would be chosen," after Brown was fired, but he knows that Jackson coming back to the Lakers at this point is as much of a long shot as him staying with them. ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni 

Janis Carr: Jamison: "I just think we never --- from the top guy (D'Antoni) – had a good understanding of our roles." Twitter @janiscarr

Los Angeles Lakers, Mike D'Antoni, Antawn Jamison 

Kevin Ding: Fan yells: "I love you, Mike D'Antoni!" Devin Ebanks laughs. Jordan Hill shakes his head. Twitter @KevinDing

Los Angeles Lakers, Mike D'Antoni, Devin Ebanks, Jordan Hill 

D'Antoni, who has two more guaranteed years worth $8 million, won't need to worry. Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said last week D'Antoni will return next season, crediting how he managed a 40-32 record his first season despite no training camp and persisting injuries, notably to Nash (fractured left leg). Los Angeles Daily News

Los Angeles Lakers, Mitch Kupchak, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni 

Even though the Lakers eventually rebounded to record the league's fifth-best record during the second half of the season at 28-12, and even though General Manager Mitch Kupchak has given him a vote of confidence, it still feels as if he's not the right coach. Dwight Howard seems to agree with that, and if the Lakers re-sign Howard, D'Antoni soon could be gone. Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Mitch Kupchak, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Dwight Howard 

For support, he has phoned his 99-year-old father, Lewis, a former high school coach who has lived in the same Mullens, W.Va., home for nearly a century. "He's followed every one of my games this year," Mike D'Antoni said of telecasts during which he's been frequently criticized. "Good thing about being 99, he probably doesn't hear." For inspiration, just before some games he would sit in his Staples Center office and watch streaming videos of his son Michael's high school basketball games in Rye, N.Y. "I do not regret taking this job for one minute," D'Antoni said. "The only thing I regret is not being there with my son all the time during his senior year." Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni 

Against Gregg Popovich, Tim Duncan, and Tony Parker. And in this universe, that can only mean one thing: Final score, 120-89, the worst home playoff loss in franchise history. San Antonio up 3-0 in the series. “I thought our guys played as hard as they could play,” head coach Mike D’Antoni said after. “but they ran out of gas toward the end.” SheridanHoops

Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker, Mike D'Antoni, Gregg Popovich, Tim Duncan 

Hall of Famer and former Laker Jerry West came out in support of Lakers Coach Mike D'Antoni, who has received heat from media and fans after the team squeaked into the playoffs with a 45-37 record. "I think there's been far too much criticism of Mike [D'Antoni]," West said to Max Kellerman and Marcellus Wiley on ESPN LA 710 radio. "I think it's grossly unfair to him. He inherited a team that had a bunch of injuries," West said. "He inherited a team without a training camp. I think he's done a nice job, to be honest with you." Althoguh West said he expected the Lakers to rehire Phil Jackson, he doesn't understand why people are still fixated on what didn't happen. "I think all of us felt they were going to hire Phil, and it didn't happen," West said. "People have to move on. That's what makes sports so interesting. You have to let decisions that are made be made and see what happens." Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Jerry West 

Janis Carr: D'Antoni: "They are much more efficient than we are." Twitter @janiscarr

Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Mike D'Antoni 

Mike Bresnahan: So what's Jordan Hill been up to the last few months? "Well, his car got out of control a little bit," Mike D'Antoni said. #bentleybash Twitter

Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Mike D'Antoni, Injuries, Jordan Hill 

Dave McMenamin: D'Antoni said he was happy for Mike Brown to get the Cleveland job. He said he has not thought about how it could impact his coaching staff Twitter @mcten

Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Mike Brown