Darvin Ham’s seat has started to heat up as a result of the Los Angeles Lakers’ severe struggles following their NBA In-Season Tournament victory.
Following the Lakers’ most recent loss to the Miami Heat, a report surfaced claiming that there was a rift between Ham and the players as a result of his frequent lineup and rotation changes. This is when things really got out of hand.
Whatever the reason for the gap, it doesn’t seem like the Lakers are about to fire Ham just yet. Although the season is still early, he has demonstrated his ability to lead this team through difficult times, as seen by the Lakers’ run to the Western Conference Finals last season despite their 2-10 start.
If the Lakers decide to make a change, the question then becomes: Who will start in Ham’s place going forward? According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, assistant coach Phil Handy seems to be the front-runner:
Players, supporters, and staff at the Lakers organization all think highly of Handy. Originally hired as a player development coach, he has taken on more responsibility in recent years and even expressed a desire to one day manage his own team.
The Lakers’ game plan appears to be to stick with Ham and hope that he and the group can make things better. However, Handy is eagerly awaiting his first chance to lead an NBA team should things go badly and the organization determines it needs a change.
Darvin Ham will keep searching for the ideal starting lineup for the Lakers.
The reports that surfaced indicate that the Lakers players’ problem with Ham is him.
The fact that few lineups have proven successful is partially to blame, but Ham recently declared that he will keep working nonstop and won’t spare any effort to identify the starting lineup that the Lakers need.
