Lakers to add Mark Madsen to coaching staff

Sam Amick | USA TODAY Sports

The Lakers may not be landing the big man they want, but they have landed a new big man coach.

While signs continue to point to free-agent-to-be big man Dwight Howard likely heading to Houston as a free agent next month, a person with knowledge of the situation said Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni is adding former Lakers forward Mark Madsen as an assistant coach.

Madsen was hired as the head coach of the Lakers' NBA Development League team, the D-Fenders in mid-May, but has received a promotion before his new job truly began. The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because the decision had not yet been announced.

Only D'Antoni's brother, Dan, remains from his 2012-13 staff: assistant Steve Clifford became head coach of the Charlotte Bobcats, Darvin Ham took an assistant job in Atlanta, developmental coach Phil Handy took a similar job in Cleveland, and Chuck Person and Bernie Bickerstaff were not retained.

D'Antoni missed out on a few of his higher-profile friends recently, as former Phoenix Suns and Clippers head coach Alvin Gentry reportedly joined the Clippers as an assistant under Doc Rivers and former Portland head coach and Team USA colleague Nate McMillan is reportedly joining the Indiana Pacers as an assistant.