Report: Lakers intend on 'reaching out' to Kevin Ollie, John Calipari about HC opening

The Los Angeles Lakers are planning on making a 'splash' in regards to their next head coach, according to ESPN Los Angeles, after the team announced Wednesday Mike D'Antoni would not be back. 

According to the report, UConn's Kevin Ollie and Kentucky's John Calipari are two names the Lakers may 'reach out' to 'at least to gauge' their level of interest in the position. 

This past season, the Lakers went 27-55, and are a lottery team for the first time since the 2005 season.

Calipari is the most intriguing name on the list, having guided Kentucky to four Final Four appearances in the last five years, as well as three appearances in the Final Four as head coach of Memphis between 2000 and 2009. 

He also carries some NBA experience, as he was the head coach of the New Jersey nets from 1996 to 1999, and spent a year as an assistant with the Philadelphia 76ers during the 1999-00 season. He holds with a 72-112 record as a NBA coach.

"Coach Cal" is famous for his ability to prepare collegiate players for the NBA, and has seen 32 players, such as Marcus Camby,  Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans, John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Eric Bledsoe, and Anthony Davis go through his programs at UMass, Memphis, and Kentucky on the way to the NBA. 

If the Lakers can convince Calipari to join the team he definitely won't be coming cheap; he signed a deal with Kentucky worth $36.6 million over 8 years in 2009.