3. Mike Dunleavy (1990-92)
Man, these Lakers coaches just don’t last that long do they? The third guy on this list only lasted two seasons as the shot caller in Los Angeles, which isn’t even the shortest run so far. Still, Mike Dunleavy deserves plenty of credit for what he did in that short time.
During his first year in the driver’s seat, Dunleavy led the Lakers down a bright and bountiful road. Finishing the regular season with an outstanding 58-24 record, he took Los Angeles all the way to the NBA Finals before falling victim to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.
The next year wasn’t as impressive. When the regular season was over, the Lakers owned a pedestrian 43-39 record. They barely inched their way into the playoffs as the West’s eighth seed before being ejected in the first round. Still, the fact they did it without Magic Johnson following his sudden retirement made it relatively impressive.
Dunleavy may not go down as one of the greats. Even with a strong 61.6 win percentage to his name, he made his mark on Lakers history while paving the way for later coaches to make their own unique impacts on one of the league’s most storied franchises.
It’s just too bad Dunleavy ended his NBA coaching career with the crosstown rival Los Angeles Clippers…