After winning the NBA In-Season Tournament, the Los Angeles Lakers have dropped nine of their last 12 games and are currently in a downward spiral. LeBron James is acting in a passive-aggressive manner once again. Anthony Davis feels irritated. With each loss, Lakers coach Darvin Ham’s seat is becoming hotter. It’s becoming obvious that adjustments must be made in one way or another after the Lakers’ most recent defeat by the Miami Heat appeared to be their lowest point.
Shams Charania and Jovan Buha of The Athletic have reported that there is a “deepening disconnect” between coach Ham and the Lakers locker room.
According to reports, the misalignment is the result of Ham’s abrupt lineup and rotation adjustments, which have thrown off the rhythms of multiple players on the Lakers roster. This has sparked some rumors that the Lakers may fire their current coach shortly.
Is Darvin Ham running out of time? When will he get the pink slip? Who should be the next coach to oversee the Purple and Gold if the Lakers bench Darvin Ham? These are a few potential contenders.
Lakers’ possibilities Darvin Ham substitutes
Rivers, Doc
Doc Rivers is taking a break from the pressures of running an NBA team’s sidelines right now to enjoy his work as an ESPN analyst and color commentator. However.
Rivers remains among the top coaching prospects on the market, even though his reputation has soured in recent years. Despite having rosters capable of winning championships, Rivers has received criticism for his inability to guide his teams—the Los Angeles Clippers and the Philadelphia 76ers, for example—deep into the postseason. The seasoned coach has come under fire from the media and pundits for his tendency to make no adjustments when things go wrong, which has resulted in several heartbreaking playoff exits.
Even still, Rivers, the two-time Coach of the Year, has far more playoff experience than Ham. He has also guided a team to a championship, one that happens to be the Lakers’ opponent. Furthermore, there is mutual respect between Rivers and LeBron James. Darvin Ham should be at the top of the Lakers’ list of possible replacements if he is fired.
Phil Handy
The Lakers should look no farther than their current assistant coach, Phil Handy, if they decide to go the internal route. With his success as an assistant coach, Handy has been vying for a head coaching position for some time now. He also has a good chance of moving up the Lakers coaching staff.
Even still, Rivers, the two-time Coach of the Year, has far more playoff experience than Ham. He has also guided a team to a championship, one that happens to be the Lakers’ opponent. Furthermore, there is mutual respect between Rivers and LeBron James. Darvin Ham should be at the top of the Lakers’ list of possible replacements if he is fired.
Phil Handy
The Lakers should look no farther than their current assistant coach, Phil Handy, if they decide to go the internal route. With his success as an assistant coach, Handy has been vying for a head coaching position for some time now. He also has a good chance of moving up the Lakers coaching staff.
After that, Handy joined the Toronto Raptors as Nick Nurse’s assistant for the 2018–19 season, helping the team win its first-ever NBA championship. He then went on to his current position with the Lakers, where he was a champion in 2020.
Handy is a three-time NBA champion and one of the league’s most well-liked assistant coaches. Additionally, he has a well-established rapport and relationship with James, having played with the Lakers superstar for both Cleveland and Los Angeles. In the event that the Lakers bench Ham, he ought to run a strong campaign.
