Lakers Rumors: Darvin Ham’s Future After Team’s Early Exit

The Athletic’s reporting also noted that the Lakers’ disastrous game 2 was a “final straw of sorts,” adding to the contrast during Ham’s first two years in LA. Whereas the first year made him seem like a true leader, this past season appeared to show a more player-driven culture. As one player told Charania: “We need to be coached, too.”

Writing on the Wall?

The Lakers’ choice to reassess Ham’s future is expected, given his popularity among LA’s brass. However, others would argue that the writing’s been on the wall this entire time. From inconsistent rotations to poor decision-making—and the growing rumors of a player-coach disconnect—Ham’s actions have led to this very moment.

Ham’s unpopularity with fans is well-documented. Activity on social media during any Lakers game will inevitably lead to many “Fire Darvin” tweets during those two and a half hours. Some members of Laker Nation present at Crypto.com Arena chanted that same phrase during LA’s game 3 loss. The discourse was active as ever Monday night, with the latest reports giving them hope after an otherwise dreadful season.

But while fans—and sometimes the players themselves—blamed Ham for the team’s struggles, sources told Charania that the coach “rarely, if ever, publicly cited the fault of his schemes, game planning or rotations.” It’s ironic considering that one of the tenets of Ham’s coaching philosophy is accountability.

The Lakers will take everything into account when evaluating Ham’s status with the franchise. However, they may not have to look far to see where the mistakes were made.

Potential Candidate

There is constant chatter over who is next in line if Lakers fans get their wish. Aside from assistant coach Phil Handy—who may be the exception to the “no more first-time head coaches” argument—another leader with Milwaukee ties could be an option.

The Last Word

With the Lakers now out of the picture, the only things fans will focus on in the coming months will be the futures of Ham and LeBron James— the latter of which opens up a whole other can of worms. The latest reporting is the first of many signs that changes are in order. Perhaps the team will take a serious step towards getting back into championship contention.