For Luke Walton, shot at Lakers job too good to pass up

Luke Walton left his Thursday interview with Mitch Kupchak and Jim Buss feeling confident, but with no idea how fast the Lakers would make him an offer.

A day after he sat with the top Lakers executives, he was named the head coach of the team he won a pair of championships with. A day after that, he was back at practice with the Golden State Warriors, trying to help the defending champs to a second straight title.

“It was obviously tough to leave this place,” said Walton, who will remain a Warriors assistant until the end of the season, “but I think it’s one of those opportunities you can’t pass up on.”

Walton said Kupchak and Buss laid out a comprehensive plan for the organization when the sides met Thursday in Oakland, including what players they want to pursue in free agency.

“Just sitting down face-to-face with them,” Walton said, “seeing what their vision was and just kind of taking the whole vision in of how they see the next couple years going.”

The Lakers are in the midst of a rebuild, with plenty of roster tuover expected, and a core of D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle expected to be pushed to the forefront.

The Lakers could have a top-three pick in the draft, depending on the lottery, and will have more than $60 million to throw around during free agency.

“I love it,” Walton said of the Lakers’ young core. “I think they have some good young talented players.

“Obviously you need to mix in some good vets with that, to have players on the court that can help the young players grow. But yeah, I’m excited about the players and the pieces that are there. There’s obviously work to do but they’ve got a nice start.”

• RELATED: Lakers believe Luke Walton will relate to young players well

Walton won 39 games as the Warriors acting head coach, and guided Golden State to an NBA-record 24-0 start.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr said that he and Walton will have “a lifetime friendship” but joked that if Walton calls to ask for advice he’ll respond, “It’s too bad you don’t have Steph & Klay & Draymond anymore. You’re on your own pal.”

Even after the Lakers shipped Walton out in a trade to Cleveland in 2012, the former forward rooted for the organization that drafted him, he said.

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“Even before I took this job I watched Laker games and hoped that they would succeed and win,” Walton said. “So it’s kind of nice to be able to go back and try to help rebuild what we used to have there.”

While Walton’s focus will be on the Warriors until the end of their season, he admitted that he will occasionally check in on the Lakers and think about his future there. One thing he seems to already know, is that he will not resurrect the offense the Lakers an while Walton was a player under Phil Jackson.

“I don’t think the Triangle is the most appropriate offense for the players that they have in place right there,” Walton said, “so I think I’m going to bring more of the style and spacing that we use up here.”

• RELATED: Walton began coaching climb at Memphis during NBA lockout

Around the Warriors, Walton received good natured ribbing as well as endorsements.

Klay Thompson said Walton “is going to have a huge impact” with the Lakers and called him “a great leader.”

“I think his heart’s in L.A.,” Thompson said. “He grew up down there (in San Diego), played eight, nine years for them. I think he’s going to do big things for the Lakers.”

Draymond Green, who maintains an especially close relationship with Walton, said his departure would “sting” but that Walton’s eventual departure was inevitable.

“I think when you have the type of success we’ve had, and when he proved what he proved this year, he’s deserving and that’s a dream job for him,” Green said. “I’m definitely excited for him, like I said it’s well-deserved. They know they’re getting a great guy.”

Thompson offered a sentiment that many Lakers fans likely shared when they leaed of Walton’s hire.

“It’s crazy,” the Orange County native said. “I can’t believe Luke Walton is the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. I feel like I was just watching him play.”