After the Los Angeles Lakers exit from the playoffs at the hands of the Denver Nuggets, Darvin Ham has been on the hot seat. It was reported earlier in the week that the Lakers coach would likely be fired by the end of the week. Now the news is official: Darvin Ham has been fired by the Los Angeles Lakers. Ham had been under fire all season, and the playoff exit sealed his fate.
Darvin Ham coached the Lakers for two seasons. Last year, after battling out of the play-in tournament, the Lakers, led by LeBron James, made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals. This season, the Lakers were a low seed once again and had to play in the in-season tournament, ultimately getting matched up with the defending champs in the first round. The Denver Nuggets defeated the Lakers four games to one in what was an entertaining and hard-fought series. Ultimately, the Lakers just did not have enough for the champs. Now, Darvin Ham is out the door.
Darvin Ham is Done In Los Angeles
Darvin ham is done in LA. Firing Ham was inevitable as he was the easiest person to blame. Draymond Green had recently commented you couldn't really blame Darvin Ham for not improving the team's standing when the roster didn't get better from the year before. It's a fair point, but NBA coaching is often an unfair business. Fans and pundits often criticized Ham for his lack of decision-making and his odd lineup choices. The roster was in flux all season, with some players not showing up. D'Angelo Russell struggled early but became one of the best shooters in the NBA in the second half of the season. Then promptly reverted in the playoffs.
The Lakers have plenty more decisions to make. Reportedly, the next Lakers coach will benefit from a significant roster overhaul. The franchise will use the Laker's draft stock to improve the roster. Furthermore, LeBron James's future is still up in the air. In an effort to keep the King in LA, the Lakers might be keen on drafting his son Bronny for the 2024 NBA draft. Overall, the Lakers have to make some big decisions this summer, and Darvin Ham is the first casualty.
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