NBA: Top 10 candidates for 2018-19 Coach of the Year award

5. Luke Walton, Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers won 35 games last year. Realistically, LeBron James could help them win anywhere from 10-20 more games this year. Luke Walton won’t be the driving force behind that turnaround, but if it’s a big enough swing and all these random parts mesh just right, he’ll deserve his fair share of the credit in Coach of the Year voting.

Like it or not, the Lakers are back in 2018-19. They may not be legitimate contenders yet, and they may have a hard time even making the playoffs if the young guys aren’t ready or this Meme Team of odd-fitting veterans don’t fulfill their roles. More than likely though, they’ll be a drastically improved team.

If Walton can figure out the right blend of offense vs. defense, experience vs. youth, and LeBron James vs. Lonzo Ball as facilitators in his lineups, he’s more than likable and respected enough as the head coach for a prominent franchise to garner the voters’ attention. It’s not like he doesn’t bring anything to the table either, as last year’s 13th-ranked defense proved.