The Los Angeles Lakers have terminated their head coach, Darvin Ham, after his two-year tenure, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. They will now be at the forefront of the NBA coaching carousel as a result of this move.
This decision follows closely on the heels of the Lakers’ elimination by the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs, marking the second consecutive year the team has been ousted by Denver. This year’s exit occurred in just five games, and the Lakers blew sizeable leads in some of those losses.
Despite having LeBron James and Anthony Davis available for most of the season — their most games played together since joining forces in 2018 — the Lakers only secured the No. 7 seed in a highly competitive Western Conference.
This seeding led them to face the No. 2-seeded Nuggets, where they notably squandered a double-digit lead in all four of their losses, including blowing a 20-point lead in the second half of Game 2.
Ham, whose contract extended for another two years, achieved a record of 90-74 during the regular seasons and 11-12 in postseason play, which includes two victories in play-in tournaments since his appointment in 2022. He also led the team to victory in the first-ever in-season tournament held in Las Vegas this past December.
Reflecting on his time with the team, Ham stated, “It’s been a hell of a two years… Sitting in this seat, it’s been a hell of a two years. A lot of good things got done, but ultimately, you want to win that ultimate prize.”
In a season marked by challenges, the Lakers overcame a shaky beginning and mid-season dip, clawing their way back from 13th in the West. With a remarkable 23-10 run, they clinched the No. 7 seed. This shows the damage done by getting off to such a poor start to the season, often with perplexing lineup experiments deviating from what worked during a run to the Western Conference Finals.
This move sets the stage for a crucial hiring period aimed at propelling the team back into championship contention during what may be the twilight of James’ illustrious NBA career.
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