Luke Walton Separated From Players After Heated Exchange

As if it wasn’t bad enough that the Los Angeles Lakers lost on Saturday, blowing a 10-point second-half lead on the road against the Golden State Warriors, things got much worse after the game ended. Apparently, Head Coach Luke Walton got into a heated verbal exchange with several of the team’s veterans. Namely, things were about to escalate when Michael Beasley and JaVale McGee “challenged” Walton on how he doles out playing time, but everyone involved was separated and the confrontation never became physical.

The tensions already existed within the team, as trade deadline is only four days away. It doesn’t help that it seems as though every player on the roster besides LeBron James is available in a blockbuster deal for Anthony Davis. With nobody knowing who is going to be in the locker room in a week, or even who is going to be leading it, it’s normal for things to be a bit heated up.

Like Walton himself also has another worry on his mind, as rumors about his job security have swirled all season. One of the speculations was that Magic Johnson would like to fire him as the team’s coach, but owner Jeanie Buss has resisted at least for the time being. Another rumor indicated that Jason Kidd is being considered as a replacement for Walton. Now that his authority has been challenged by the players, anyone within the organization who wants him out has another reason to push for that to happen.

Will Walton keep his job position remains unclear. But he certainly didn’t help his cause on Saturday on the court or off of it.