http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/10867253/los-angeles-lakers-plan-court-kevin-ollie-uconn-huskies-john-calipari-kentucky-wildcats

The Los Angeles Lakers plan a drawn-out and exhaustive search for Mike D'Antoni's successor as coach, but sources close to the process insist the team hopes to "make a splash" with its eventual hire.

To that end, sources say, Lakers officials intend to reach out to two of the biggest names in the college game -- UConn's Kevin Ollie and Kentucky's John Calipari -- to at least gauge their interest in the job.

The Lakers also plan to reach out to the Chicago Bulls for permission to interview coach Tom Thibodeau, a source told ESPNLosAngeles.com's Dave McMenamin. The Lakers are closely monitoring the playoffs, believing that several viable candidates could become available should their respective teams be eliminated.

The Lakers' immediate aims, sources say, are to focus on the draft and free agency, and to "hold back [on the coaching front] until they get a better sense of the marketplace."

Another factor in the team's thinking, sources say, is leaving the position open in the short term in case a potential free-agent target such as LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony tells team officials in July that he would consider coming to the Lakers if the coach of his choosing is hired.

The Lakers are not expected to pursue Duke's Mike Krzyzewski this time, not after having unsuccessfully tried to lobby the longtime Blue Devils coach to leave Durham in the past.

Whoever takes the job will have his hands full: The Lakers are coming off a dreadful 27-55 campaign that was marred with injuries and the specter that a major roster overhaul wouldn't take place until the summer of 2015.