After a rollercoaster of a season, Lakers fans got what they wanted: Darvin Ham has been fired. LA formally let go of the second-year coach Friday morning, days after their second straight postseason exit at the hands of the Denver Nuggets. It was their third coaching dismissal in six seasons.
Lakers Fire Darvin Ham After Two Years at the Helm
Ham’s Comments Prior to Ousting
It appears fans—and even some players—knew this result was inevitable after two years full of mismatched rotations, late-game mistakes, and confusing postgame quotes. As Ham told the media following the conclusion of the Lakers’ season:
“It’s been a hell of a two years sitting in this seat, I’ll tell you that. It’s been a hell of a two years.” – Darvin Ham
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 30, 2024
In his time leading the Lakers, Ham compiled a 90-74 record in the regular season. He managed to make the Western Conference Finals in his first year after a midseason shift, but history couldn’t repeat itself this time around. His overall playoff record was 9-12.
Ham’s decision-making—or at times lack thereof—arguably cost the Lakers one of the better seasons in the LeBron James–Anthony Davis era. James made history by notching 40,000 career points, while Davis dominated on both ends and played the most games of his career (76). Ham also managed to improve his win total from last season, going from 43 to 47 amid all of the chaos.
While the team’s revolving door of injuries did not help the matter, Ham also did not help his case with several questionable actions, from deciding on a starting lineup when it was nearly too late to openly criticizing his own players.
Lakers General Manager Rob Pelinka released a statement following Ham’s firing, which reads in part:
“We all want to thank Darvin for his dedication and positivity. While this was a difficult decision to make, it is the best course of action following a full review of the season. This organization will remain unwavering in its commitment to deliver championship-caliber basketball to Lakers fans around the world.”
Later that afternoon, the Lakers dismissed the rest of Darvin Ham’s staff, including player development coach and fan favorite Phil Handy.
Sources: In addition to Darvin Ham, the Lakers have fired the entire assistant coaching staff, cleaning the slate for its next coach.
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) May 3, 2024
Potential Replacement Candidates
Just as much has been made over Ham’s status with the organization, the same can be said when talking about his potential replacements.
The two names that have popped up the most in recent days are Tyronn Lue and J.J. Redick—the latter of whom is a novice to coaching but recently wrapped up a 15-year career in the NBA. LA could also turn to more experienced head coaches and ditch the first-timer experiment all together.
Regardless, the Lakers now have a fresh slate when it comes to coaching, and James and Davis will no doubt play a key role in deciding who will lead them and the rest of the team next season.
