The worst-kept secret in sports has officially been let out of the bag. According to famed NBA guru Adrian Wojnarowski, the Los Angeles Lakers have severed ties with head coach Darvin Ham. This comes after the Lakers lost in five games in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs to the Denver Nuggets. Ham was originally hired less than two years ago in June of 2022.
A former NBA player, Ham had previously been an assistant with the Milwaukee Bucks before earning his first head coaching gig. The pressure in Los Angeles to win is immense, and Ham hasn’t been able to do that at enough of a consistent level. The Lakers have gone 90-74 with him as the head coach.
Despite making it to the Western Conference Finals last year, and winning the inaugural in-season Las Vegas tournament, multiple reports suggested a disconnect between Ham and some of his players. We saw Anthony Davis and Ham trade ‘pleasant unpleasantries’ in the media toward one another.
The body language of both Davis and LeBron James seemed off this entire season. With Ham now out the door, the Lakers will yet again search for a new head coach.
There are rumblings Ty Lue could be leaving the Clippers once their season ends. He would most certainly be an attractive option. Former NBA player-turned-media personality JJ Redick has also been mentioned as a possible candidate — potentially even as an assistant coach.
