Report: Jeff Van Gundy interested in Lakers opening

The Los Angeles Lakers contacted Jeff Van Gundy, who has an interest in their head coaching vacancy, according to USA Today's Sam Amick.

The ESPN/ABC analyst last coached in the NBA in 2007. He has been linked to several coaching openings in the years since, but has remained in broadcasting. The report may come as something of a surprise given the current makeup of the Lakers' roster - heavy on young players and not widely expected to be a major factor in free agency this summer.

He has also been rumored to be in the running for the Houston Rockets job, which happens to be the team he last coached.

The Lakers fired Byron Scott on Sunday, waiting until other big coaching names such as Tom Thibodeau and Scott Brooks were off the market. Along with Van Gundy, the Lakers are considering Luke Walton and Derek Fisher. The team was reportedly also given permission to interview San Antonio Spurs assistant Ettore Messina.