LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles Lakers coach Mike DAntoni resigned Wednesday after less than two seasons on the job. Joe Girardi Jersey . Team spokesman John Black confirmed DAntonis resignation, ending the brief tenure of the Lakers fourth head coach in less than three years. DAntoni went 67-87 after taking over the Lakers early in the 2012-13 season. He replaced the fired Mike Brown, who lasted just 71 games after replacing 11-time NBA champion coach Phil Jackson in 2011. The injury-plagued Lakers were 27-55 this season, their worst campaign in more than 50 years and the second-worst winning percentage in franchise history. With Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash and Pau Gasol sitting out large chunks of the season while the Lakers lost an NBA-worst 319 man-games to injuries, the 16-time NBA champion franchise missed the playoffs for the first time in nine seasons and only the third time in 38 years. "Given the circumstances, I dont know that anybody could have done a better job than Mike did the past two seasons," Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said. "On behalf of the Lakers, we thank Mike for the work ethic, professionalism and positive attitude that he brought to the team every day. We wish him the best of luck." The 62-year-old DAntoni had one year left on his contract, but wanted the Lakers to pick up his option year for 2015-16 to have any chance of success. The Lakers apparently refused, leading to DAntonis resignation. DAntoni walked away from a $4 million payday for next season, although he may receive a portion of that money as severance. A phone message left for DAntoni wasnt immediately returned. Despite the Lakers injuries on a roster consisting mostly of players on one-year contracts, Los Angeles fans largely directed their anger during a rare down season toward DAntoni. Lakers great Magic Johnson, who was sharply critical of DAntonis coaching style, hailed the news on his Twitter account. "Happy days are here again!" Johnson tweeted. "Mike DAntoni resigns as the Lakers coach. I couldnt be happier!" DAntoni also has coached the Nuggets, Suns and Knicks. He reached two Western Conference finals with Nash in Phoenix before having much less success in New York. "Whenever a coach isnt there anymore, for whatever reason, all of us in the fraternity feel badly," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said after the Spurs playoff victory over Dallas. "He is a heck of a coach and heck of a guy. You always feel badly when something like that happens. I just hope that what he wants is going to be what happens for him. He is a special guy." DAntonis signature up-tempo style of play seemed an odd match from the start with the aging, ball-dominating Bryant and the Lakers, who ran Jacksons deliberate triangle offence to perfection. Lakers owners Jerry and Jim Buss curiously chose DAntoni to replace Brown over Jackson, who strongly contemplated a return for a third stint on the Los Angeles bench. Jackson became the president of the Knicks in March. Kupchak said he will begin the search immediately for the Lakers fifth head coach since 2011 -- including Jackson, who walked away from the team after falling short of a third consecutive championship. DAntonis departure will allow the Lakers franchise overhaul to begin in earnest after their worst season since 1957-58 back in Minneapolis. Los Angeles missed the post-season for just the second time in the 17-season career of Bryant, who occasionally clashed with DAntoni. The Lakers have a top-10 pick in a strong draft and just three players under contract for next season, including Nash and Bryant. The fourth-leading scorer in NBA history will make more than $48 million over the next two years. A coaching change also might make the Lakers more attractive to Gasol, an unrestricted free agent who intimated he wouldnt consider returning if DAntoni still coached the team. Kupchak has said the Lakers are very interested in re-signing the 7-foot Spaniard, one of the top available free agents. "There would have to be significant changes," Gasol wrote in Spanish on his personal blog recently. "Ive never concealed the fact that DAntonis style doesnt suit my game. Everybody knows this. I dont know if my decision will be swayed by whether Mike stays or leaves. Obviously, the coach is a very important factor for any team." After joining the Lakers on short notice last season, DAntoni was unable to assemble a contending team immediately around Bryant and Dwight Howard, who struggled to embrace the pick-and-roll game so important to DAntonis offence. Los Angeles won 45 games last season despite its awful start under Brown. But the Lakers lost Bryant to a torn Achilles tendon late in the regular season before getting swept out of the first round by San Antonio. Howard left the Lakers as a free agent last summer, fleeing to Houston for less money to escape the Lakers drama and high expectations. Bryant played in just six games this season after breaking a bone near his knee in December, and Los Angeles never had a consistently competitive team in his absence. Nash also missed most of the season with various injuries, but the 40-year-old point guard hopes to play again next season. DAntoni realized he would take the blame for the Lakers woes this season, and the veteran coach seemed comfortable with the prospect when the team packed up for the summer. "Every coach should be under scrutiny," DAntoni said two weeks ago. "Some coaches get fired even after the best years theyve ever had. ... Theres always things we could have done better, and its easier with hindsight. Things dont always go smoothly. For the most part, our guys were very competitive. For us, there are some silver linings in there, but in hindsight, its disappointing for everybody." Custom Yankees Jersey . The Spurs announced on Monday that they have re-signed Matt Bonner. Ichiro Suzuki Yankees Jersey . As the lowest-ranked of nine unseeded European qualifiers, France was expected to go in the Africa-dominated draw pot — meaning it could not be placed in the same group as a top-seeded European team.True North Sports and Entertainment will have cap room to burn - if it wishes - when the free agent market opens for business on July 1. Winnipegs ownership inherits one of the most frugally-managed rosters in the NHL, one that cost Thrashers ownership just $41.7 million excluding performance bonuses last season. Only the stingy New York Islanders spent less. Heading into the off-season, the Winnipeg roster features 15 players signed for just $35.9 million, meaning management will need to spend more than $10 million on eight players just to get to a projected cap floor of $46.2 million. But if True North is in the mood to splurge, it has more than $26 million - almost $3.3 million per player - if the salary cap increases to $62.2 million, as reported by the New York Post. Only a few teams have that kind of cap room, and those that have it arent likely to use all of it. While theres no indication at this stage of how much True North intends to spend, Manitobans can certainly dream until ownership lays its cards on the table. That kind of cap space would put Winnipeg in a position to take a run at the crown jewel of the free-agent market - Dallas Stars center and former Conn Smythe Trophy winner Brad Richards - or any of the other lower end forwards up for grabs on July 1. Those names include Alex Tanguay, Ville Leino, Brooks Laich and Jussi Jokinen, not to mention one with special significance to Winnipeg, former Jets superstar Teemu Selanne. The one fly in the ointment for True North will be selling the city to the free agents it wants to sign. Part of getting players to the city might involve the risky approach of sweetening the pot on contracts: offering more money, longer term, and iron-clad no-movement clauses. But splurging a little might not be a bad plan, because the relocated Thrashers have shown indications they might be a few pieces away from making the playoffs after last seasons 34-win, 80-point showing. The Thrashers, buoyed by acquisitions of Dustin Byfuglien and Andrew Ladd from the Chicago Blackhawks, were near the top of the league early last season. As late as the all-star break, they were holding down a playoff spot, but went 10-17-3 down the stretch as things fell apart. The roster got remarkable bang for its buck given the comparatively meager payroll. The Thrashers finished sixth in the league in dollars per standings point with an estimated ratio of $522,000. That wasnt far behind the Tampa Bay Lightning, whhich had a league-best ratio of around $488,000. Dellin Betances Jersey. Starting with solid yet inexpensive goaltending - Ondrej Pavelec and Chris Mason combine to make just $3 million - and a fully signed, $18.65-million defense corps that features Byfuglien, Tobias Enstrom, Ron Hainsey, Johnny Oduya and Mark Stuart, there is a foundation to work from. Up front, Ladd ($2.35 million), Blake Wheeler ($2.2 million) and Anthony Stewart ($632,500) need to be re-signed, but Nikolai Antropov, Bryan Little, Evander Kane and Alexander Burmistrov are all under contract in the $3- to $4-million range. Its a cap-friendly situation, to say the least, and until things play out in July, it gives Winnipeg hockey fans plenty to think about. Heres a look how Winnipegs cap situation is shaping up in 2011-12: FORWARDS (8): $14.29 million Player Money Nik Antropov $4.062 million Evander Kane $3.1 million Bryan Little $2.383 million Alexander Burmistrov $1.5 million Jim Slater $1 million Chris Thorburn $866,667 Patrice Cormier $854,166 Tim Stapleton $525,000 DEFENCE (5): $18.65 million Player Money Dustin Byfuglien $5.2 million Ron Hainsey $4.5 million Tobias Enstrom $3.75 million Johnny Oduya $3.5 million Mark Stuart $1.7 million GOAL (2): $3 million Player Money Chris Mason $1.85 million Ondrej Pavelec $1.15 million Matthew Wuest runs Capgeek.com, the popular website that breaks down NHL salary cap numbers. cheap jerseys from china cheap jerseys ' ' '
