As the Los Angeles Lakers spiraled out of control the past couple of weeks, rumors began to surround head coach Darvin Ham and his future with the team.
When a team goes through a losing skid, the head coach is usually the one who faces the most scrutiny. Despite making the Western Conference Finals in his first year as Lakers coach, speculation rose as to when Ham would get fired and who would replace him, one name being assistant coach Phil Handy.
When it comes to being involved in the Lakers organization, pressure is at an all-time high and certainly is not for the faint of heart. However, Christian Wood believes Ham is not paying any attention to the outside noise.
“I don’t think he pays any mind to it,” Wood said of all the rumors and criticism. “Especially social media, especially knowing that this is the No. 1 market arguably in the NBA so it’s gonna come, all that. Trade talks, firing, all this is gonna come with being a Laker and wearing that jersey and being a head coach of this team.
“So I don’t think he pays any mind to it, he stays positive. Me and him still stay in communication every other day. So he’s good.”
The rumors of potentially being fired can impact a coach’s performance and be a hindrance surrounding the team. But it is good to see that Ham is unfazed by the prospect of his job being on the line as he revealed that he still has the support of Lakers governor Jeanie Buss.
This is not Ham’s first rodeo as he’s been a longtime assistant and won a championship both as a player and a coach. Being a part of the Milwaukee Bucks championship in 2020-21, he has the experience necessary to bring the Lakers their 18th championship.
While the recent losing is far from ideal, Ham has LeBron James and Anthony Davis leading the team, so the prospect of turning things around is not out of the realm of possibility. Other role players such as Wood are also capable of stepping up on a given night.
Nonetheless, the pressure to win another championship with James as he nears retirement is noticeable. Time will tell if Ham will be able to ride the ship and get L.A. back into contention.
Darvin Ham allowed players to give feedback during film session
During any losing skid, it pushes for teams to make change and adjustments to get back on the right track. Ham during a recent film session allowed players to give feedback in an attempt to fix issues on the court.
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