Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham has been on the firing line all season, but it appears he continues to not be at risk of losing his job. Lakers insider Anthony Irwin is reporting that even if the team gets knocked out of the first round of the playoffs by the Denver Nuggets, Ham is likely to be the head coach next season.
“So, don’t the messenger, but I’ve been asking around, and that vast majority of people I’ve spoken to think Darvin Ham will be back next year, even if the Lakers lose in the first round,” Irwin stated.
A big reason why Ham has kept his job so far despite mounting pressure from the outside has reportedly been because he has had the backing of Lakers governor Jeanie Buss and GM Rob Pelinka. While the two still seem to believe that Ham can lead the team to glory, Irwin states that there are some more factors in play here.
Firing Ham would mean Pelinka admitting he made a mistake by hiring the wrong man for the job in 2022. The Lakers fired Frank Vogel, who had led them to the championship in 2020, and instead of replacing him with a proven commodity, Pelinka went with a first-time head coach in Ham. Letting him go after just two seasons would not be a good look on him as the GM.
As for Buss’ other reason to keep Ham around, Irwin claims it has to do with money. He still has two years left on his deal and firing him now would mean a payout of about $8 million.
You then have to consider how much a new head coach would want and if the Lakers go for an experienced one, they might want a deal upwards of $10 million per year. That’s a significant outlay and one that Buss would ideally prefer not to make.
Ideally, you would not want these factors to even exist in this situation if you’re a Lakers fan. All that should matter is whether Ham is the right man to lead the team and as per Irwin, some individuals in upper management are not convinced that he is.
Some difficult conversations might take place in the offseason if the Nuggets, who are now up 2-0 in the series, eliminate the Lakers as I expect them to. On one hand, it would be an exit at the hands of a team that is heavily favored to win the West. On the other, if Ham isn’t capable of even, let’s say winning one game against the Nuggets in two playoff series, then should they stick with him?
Ultimately, I think Ham’s future might well end up being decided by LeBron James. LeBron has a player option worth $51.4 million for the 2024-25 season and it seems likely he will opt out of it to become a free agent. If James puts a condition that he would only stay with the Lakers if Ham gets replaced, he would be let go.
As for what that relationship is like between the superstar and the head coach, it doesn’t seem to be all that great. Irwin reported earlier this year that LeBron overrides Ham’s plays during timeouts and team huddles.
James was also reportedly unhappy with Ham during the Lakers’ mid-season struggles. If it does indeed come down to what LeBron wants, I think Ham might have to pack his bags.
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