Lakers dismiss coach Ham after an underwhelming season.
In a move that shocked nobody, the Los Angeles Lakers have officially decided to part ways with Darvin Ham. As announced on Friday by league insiders Shams Charania and Jovan Buha, Ham’s dismissal is effective immediately and will prompt an extensive coaching search over the upcoming offseason.
“The Los Angeles Lakers fired coach Darvin Ham after his second season with the team, which ended Monday in a first-round playoff exit with a loss to the Denver Nuggets, the organization announced on Friday,” wrote Shams via The Athletic. “Sources briefed on the matter say that an extensive search will commence soon, with candidates such as Mike Budenholzer, Kenny Atkinson, JJ Redick, and, if he becomes available, Ty Lue, among others.”
The Lakers put a lot of faith in Ham out of the gate and they held a strong belief that he would be the one to maximize this Lakers team. But aside from their run to the West Finals last spring, Ham’s tenure has been defined by chaos and dysfunction at every turn.
This season is when the red flags started to emerge. As Ham continued putting questionable lineups on the floor, rumors of his weakening impact in the locker room were beginning to heat up. A few times, Lakers players even called out Ham publicly, with Anthony Davis famously saying that the Lakers had “no clue” what they were doing at times.
Meanwhile, LeBron James tried to step up and take the reigns for himself. He began to call his own plays for the team and resorted to ignoring Ham’s decisions in favor of his own. By the time the playoffs came around, Darvin’s tenure was already in jeopardy and it would have taken a run similar to last year’s in order to save his job. But now, the search for a new coach begins and who they hire next could make or break their future.
Who Will Be The Lakers’ Next Head Coach?
After hiring Darvin basically on the spot, the Lakers are expected to take a much slower approach to this process. Of course, with so many uncertainties about the roster, the Lakers may have to wait until after the prime free-agency season to make their decision.
As for potential candidates, Phil Handy has long been on the Lakers’ radar. He’s been a top assistant for years and he knows the Lakers organization and its players like the back of his hand. Despite his inexperience as a head coach, Handy could be a good fit for the Lakers if he’s able to come in and earn the respect of the players from the start.
Another potential name is former Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer. While his end in Milwaukee was pretty ugly, his championship pedigree is uniquely qualified to lead the Lakers and orchestrate a game plan that can achieve the desired results.
There’s also JJ Redick. The former NBA veteran has gained popularity for showing off his extensive basketball knowledge and several teams have already expressed interest in bringing him on in a head coaching role.
Whatever the Lakers decide, they must pick someone who aligns with their long-term goals and can establish an identity that strengthens the core of the team. Clearly, Darvin Ham was not the answer and they cannot afford to make another mistake like that again.
