Lakers could just phone it in with co-coaching idea

Can’t you just see it?

It’s midway through next season and the Lakers are in Memphis, the crowd apoplectic because L.A. is down by three as the final buzzer nears, and Kurt Rambis, like any other normal head coach on planet Earth, looks very much like he wants a timeout. But noooo . . .

Instead, Rambis digs in his pocket and fishes out his purple-and-gold iPhone, which has buzzed incessantly for the last minute. From Malibu, a text:

Timeout? Don’t even think about it! Let them work it out, let them arrive at harmony amid chaos. This, my friend, is a teachable moment. Best wishes, Sensei Phil.

Of course, no timeout is called and the game comes down to the last possession and the Lakers have it. Rambis is a picture of calm as he watches the triangle offense run as it should -- Bryant to Bynum to Gasol to starting point guard Shannon Brown, who makes a mid-range jumper with two seconds left, sending Memphis fans home crying in their barbecued tri-tip.

Well, things may not play out exactly this way should the Lakers go forward with the co-head coaching arrangement recently bandied about: Phil Jackson running the team when it plays under the Staples Center klieg lights, then turning over the reins to coach-in-waiting Rambis when the team is on the road.

But it’s a scenario not all that farfetched.

We’re not sure if co-coaching will ever come to Lakersland -- note that on Tuesday Jackson told a radio audience it was a possibility while on Wednesday, in a keep-’em-guessing Hollywood twist, General Manager Mitch Kupchak said it wasn’t.

But if the arrangement does become reality, even in a very limited form, we can reasonably expect Phil to be checking in from the home office on good occasion during halftimes. He’ll be a regular on those grainy video-conference calls as he trots out his wipeboard to diagram inbounds defense, tells Bynum to step up, Odom to get a grip and Vujacic to calm down.

There’s nothing to fear, Mr. Kupchak. No matter the logistical headaches it might cause -- for one thing, WiFi has a maddening way of fizzling out in fortress-like NBA locker rooms -- this uncommon coaching arrangement would be another stroke of good sense for your organization, which has done everything right over the last two seasons.

In September, Jackson turns 65. Retirement age, supposedly. He wants to keep going for at least a short while, but largely because of all the years he spent recklessly tossing that large frame across the hardwood as a professional, his hips, knees and feet have all either given out or are about to. Coaching has become a pain in the butt, literally.

Add to this his history of heart trouble and the recent stroke by longtime mentor Tex Winter, a reminder of life’s frailty, and Jackson has every reason to want to cut back on coaching.

If he can turn the NBA marathon into a series of short sprints, preserving his sanity and health and giving himself more time to smell the fresh ocean air, well, kudos, wonderful, great for him. No NBA coach deserves such a setup more than Jackson; and not just for his titles and longevity, but for his class.

After hearing this setup was being considered I called Warren Bennis, the esteemed USC business professor who has advised four U.S. presidents, countless Fortune 500 chief executives, and is regarded as one of the fathers of the study of leadership. I figured he could give us an astute and different take.

“It’s a fascinating idea,” said Bennis, who at 84 works a part-time schedule himself. “I’m honestly very intrigued with the possibility and what this will tell us about Phil as a leader.”

Bennis’ keys to success? How much the entire team will buy into this most unusual of arrangements; how well the team is prepared going into next season; how much confidence the Lakers players, particularly Kobe Bryant, have in Rambis; and how deeply Jackson’s overarching philosophy has rooted itself throughout the entire operation.

“Kurt Rambis would be like an organ transplant,” Bennis said. “Sometimes organ transplants work. Sometimes they are rejected. We’d just have to see.”

If it ever happens, count on the transplant working out fine. The big boss gets deserved rest. There’s every reason to believe the league champs have become so steeped in his share-the-love ways that they could probably win next year with Bryant as player-coach. (Heck, wasn’t he almost doing just that in the Finals?)

Most importantly, there’s every reason to believe Rambis will be a fine leader.

Rambis wouldn’t get tuned out. He’s been with these players too long, been too trusted an ally and done too much as a 1980s Laker not to have heavy clout and serious legitimacy. Yes, he’s a logical successor to Jackson.

So knowing Jackson won’t be around forever, knowing this team is incredibly sharp as is, why not let him partially grab the reins and show what he can do? If he’s an utter failure the Lakers move forward and the search for their next full-time coach goes that much smoother.

OK, that’s getting ahead of ourselves. We’re not sure where this is headed but should Kurt Rambis become co-assistant-vice-deputy head coach, there’s just one piece of advice he’d do well to heed. When the going gets rough in Memphis, turn the iPhone off.

--

kurt streeter@latimes.com