The Los Angeles Lakers parted ways with former head coach Darvin Ham this summer after two years leading the franchise. Ham went 90-74 in the regular season with two postseason appearances, both ending in losses to the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals and first round, respectively.
On paper, this isn’t necessarily a bad resume over two years for a first-time head coach. He won more games than he lost, made the postseason twice and came within four wins of the NBA Finals. However, Ham struggled to get the complete buy-in of the locker room and squandered two incredible LeBron James campaigns and one elite year from Anthony Davis with good health.
Those things ultimately led to his firing and return to the Milwaukee Bucks as an assistant coach under Doc Rivers. And in his first public commentary since the firing, he kept it positive while maintaining the belief that he improved the Lakers in his tenure, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN:
“The state of the team when they hired me, up until the day they fired me, I like to think it improved. And that’s all I care about,” Ham, who was hired by Rivers in June, told ESPN on Thursday. “I poured myself, my heart and soul, into that team trying to improve it from where it was — 33-49. And to get to the Western Conference finals in one year, have guys benefit from it financially. To have that excitement going into that next year, get derailed by injuries, still manage to win the in-season tournament and get to the playoffs, I thank God every day.
“Again, I’m completely grateful. I wish that franchise nothing but the best. I’m not mean or angry or bitter about anything. Some people have certain opinions and those are opinions, but if you really look at the facts, there’s not much for me personally I have to say. So, that’s it.”
Ham and the Lakers don’t appear to have a bad relationship. But it was clear that he was no longer working as the head coach of the franchise. Ham landed in a solid situation back with a familiar franchise, and the Lakers moved forward with someone they feel is a better fit for their roster in JJ Redick.
Doc Rivers doesn’t understand Lakers’ Darvin Ham firing
Coming off a Western Conference Finals run the year prior, Darvin Ham seemed to have built a solid foundation with the Lakers but his questionable decision making and lack of tactical acumen largely contributed to his dismissal. A five-game loss to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs was enough for the organization to let go of Ham.
Throughout the season, it felt like Ham’s grip on the job was loosening as players seemingly started to tune him out. LeBron James even reportedly lost faith in Ham, perhaps the biggest indictment on his tenure with the Lakers.
Ham eventually landed on his feet, agreeing to become an assistant coach for the Milwaukee Bucks under Doc Rivers. Prior to their preseason matchup on Thursday night, Rivers expressed his confusion with Los Angeles’ decision to part ways with Ham.
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