'Hopefully he’ll be around for a long time…' Michael Malone defends Lakers coach Darvin Ham amidst criticism after playoffs exit

I think Darvin Ham is a hell of a coach. That’s not an easy job. I think Darvin does it with class... He’s a good man, good coach, and I wish him all the best and hopefully, he’ll be around there for a long time because he deserves to be... LeBron James is arguably the greatest player of all time. Anthony Davis is a Hall of Famer. They gave us all we could handle. We did not want to get on that plane back to LA... Michael Malone said

The Lakers indeed gave their all in this series. Looking back at Game 5 and Game 2, the Lakers deserved the win, however, Denver’s clutch asset, Jamal Murray was there to save them. It is not only the coaching staff that holds all the blame. The Lakers don’t have a structured roster, lacking outside shooting as well as backup scorers. As the Lakers enter the offseason, they will look to be active among trades and scouting free agents.

Darvin Ham is highly unlikely to return

According to NBA insider, Shams Charania , Darvin Ham is unlikely to return to the Lakers next season. He’s only spent two seasons with the Lakers, though he might not return for the third.

The Lakers were not in the playoff picture since the start of the season. They had a decent record in the first 40 games, going 20-20, which was followed by tough losses.

But Darvin Ham, I'm told his job is in serious peril. The expectation is that it's highly unlikely, from what I'm told, that he's going to be back for a third season as Lakers head coach. Shams Charania said on the Pat McAfee Show.

While it is not certain whether LeBron James will be back next season, Ham’s departure will affect the Lakers heavily. The franchise is at a crossroads with a desperate need of backup scorers, assets, and at the latest, possibly a new head coach. It will be interesting to see what changes the Lakers look to make this offseason.