LOS ANGELES – In a surprising turnabout, the Los Angeles Lakers have hired Mike D'Antoni as their next coach, passing on another reunion with Phil Jackson, D'Antoni's agent told Yahoo! Sports.

The decision came late Sunday, one day after Lakers officials met with Jackson to discuss the possibility of him becoming the franchise's coach a third time. Jackson, league sources said, was seeking greater personnel control, a relaxed travel schedule and a two-year contract that would pay him at least $10 million a season.

D'Antoni, 61, signed a four-year contract with the Lakers, said his agent, Warren LeGarie. He recently underwent knee surgery and is awaiting his doctors' clearance as to when he can travel from New York to Los Angeles. A firm timetable for when he can begin coaching has yet to be established.

The Lakers are expected to officially announce D'Antoni's hiring on Monday.

D'Antoni and his representatives – like most of the NBA – fully expected Jackson to return to the Lakers and were stunned to hear from team officials Sunday night.

"Mike thought it was a done deal that Phil Jackson was going to be the Lakers coach again," one league source said. "No one was more surprised that it didn't happen than Mike."

D'Antoni's hiring reunites him with All-Star point guard Steve Nash, who signed with the Lakers in the offseason and has been recently sidelined by a leg injury. D'Antoni coached Nash in Phoenix, where they won at least 50 games for four consecutive seasons and advanced to the Western Conference finals in 2005 and '06. D'Antoni left the Suns after the 2007--08 season and was quickly hired to coach the New York Knicks. He went 121-167 in three-plus seasons with the Knicks before resigning on March 14 of last season.

The Los Angeles Times first reported D'Antoni's hiring.

(doing my best Bugs Bunny impression): "They'll Be Sorrrryyyyy!!!" Mike "I can't spell the word defense" D'Antoni? Really? Really! Really!!?? LMAO! This is desperation personified. So glad I'm not a Lakers fan...Go Utah Jazz!!!!

I doubt you have many on this site that feel the same way. Mike D'Antoni is a true Son of Marshall and was one of its biggest stars while playing basketball for the Thundering Herd. I'd cheer for him no matter where he went.

Looks like they took their road issues out on the Mavericks a couple of nights ago. Not having the benefit of a quality bench to supplement the nucleus is going to be the Lakers Waterloo this year...No abbreviated season for anyone to benefit from this time, they all have to go the distance now. In a youth-oriented league, it will be interesting to see if the Lakers can continue the "run and gun" offensive philosophy that D'Antoni swears by, especially when they cross swords with that OTHER team from Los Angeles, the Clippers. This will be D'Antoni's defining moment in his coaching legacy. He has to get them to at least the Finals to keep the media jackals at bay. That will not be easy in a very wild, wild Western Conference.