The Los Angeles Lakers have interviewed three head coaches to determine who will take over for Darvin Ham immediately, while position is open.
If Darvin Ham is let go from his position as head coach, the Lakers (16-15) have three intriguing candidates to choose from.
Darvin Ham’s position in the Lakers is up to offered, as three head coaches are interviewed to decide on one to replace him immediately
The Lakers, who spent the majority of last season as the 11th seed, do not appear to be the stable team that advanced to the Western Conference Finals in 2023. As a rookie head coach, Darvin Ham did an excellent job of providing the Lakers with a defensive identity that propelled them to victory, particularly during the playoffs.
Throughout the previous season, Ham demonstrated concerning coaching behaviors, which have persisted into this one. He ultimately finds himself fiddling with his lineups excessively in an attempt to achieve consistency. Like he did with LeBron James last winter, he also has a tendency to run his players into the ground, and this season he is expected to do just that.
Regarding Ham’s mid-season firing, whom can the Lakers turn to in order to right the ship and still have a chance to win a championship? Here are three potential applicants.
Doc Rivers managed the Los Angeles Clippers for nearly ten years, so he has a deep understanding of the region. The head coach who won an NBA Championship in 2008 is coming off a mediocre tenure with the Philadelphia 76ers that resulted in two straight second-round exits. He has lost more series leads than he has been able to hold onto, casting doubt on his ability to lead a team to championships for years. He currently works for ESPN, but as Tristan Thompson demonstrated, it’s easy to leave ESPN in favor of a chance to join a team.
Although Rivers’ ability to win championships has long been questioned, the Lakers definitely need the stability he offers as a starting point. On LeBron-led teams, playoff performance frequently boils downfrequently comes down to LeBron. Perhaps Rivers and ‘Bron can work together harmoniously to achieve success for both of them. As a defensive coach, Rivers has been successful in highlighting the Lakers’ advantages.
He is as adept at adapting to contemporary offenses as any former head coach could be. Although he seems like a good fit for the Lakers, the possibility of something going wrong probably makes both sides cautiously avoid one another. It will be interesting to watch if Rivers, who enjoys having a lot of control over his team, can get along with Rob Pelinka and LeBron. Compared to Ham, it could be a game-changer for LA if he succeeds.
