Lakers Rumors: LeBron James Not Involved in LA's HC Search Amid Tyronn Lue Buzz

LeBron James has reportedly told the Los Angeles Lakers to make their next coaching hire "irrespective of his involvement."

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported James rebuffed the Lakers' efforts to have him meet with Monty Williams, who eventually took the head coaching job with the Phoenix Suns.

The Lakers have apparently settled on Ty Lue as their next coach but have reached an impasse in negotiations. Charania's report indicated the two sides are struggling to find common ground on an assistant coaching staff.

Marc Stein of the New York Times added the Lakers are attempting to "impose their choices" on Lue, who has recoiled. Former NBA coaches like Jason Kidd, Tom Thibodeau and Frank Vogel have been mentioned as potential top assistants.

If Lue is hired, there's little reason for James to meet with him beforehand. The two had a good working relationship during their time with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Lue was seen to many as James' hand-picked choice to replace then-Cavaliers coach David Blatt in 2016, with whom James never got along.

The Lakers have been one of the worst-run organizations in basketball for more than a half decade, so this coaching fiasco is just another in a long series of gaffes for Jeanie Buss and Co. General manager Rob Pelinka has shown no strong acumen for the job, yet has been handed unyielding power in the wake of Magic Johnson's resignation.

Pelinka and Kurt Rambis, the husband of close Jeanie Buss pal Linda Rambis, have been handling the coaching search. If rumors of James' hands-off nature are true, it's hard to blame him. Everything besides signing James and a couple of solid hits in the draft has been a disaster in Lakerland since the moment Kobe Bryant ruptured his Achilles.

James has a lot going on outside of basketball this summer, and he's entrusted the Lakers to make the right hire. The fact that their heavy-handedness is risking a hire that would be in James' best interest is a symbol of the dysfunction in the organization.