The Los Angeles Lakers’ search for a Head Coach continues after they parted ways with Frank Vogel following a disappointing regular season. Doc Rivers, Nick Nurse, and Quin Snyder were the initial candidates named. All seem to no longer be viable, at least for the moment, and two new names have recently emerged as serious candidates for the job.
Terry Stotts, the former Portland Trail Blazers coach, and Darvin Ham, an assistant coach on the Milwaukee Bucks, have been spoken about as coaches the Lakers have been talking to and finalized. Ham, in particular, has been in the running to be named a Head Coach by some team in the league for a long time, and it looks like his opportunity may finally be here.
When everything is said and done, it’s no secret that LeBron James has quite a bit of influence over whatever franchise he is playing for, even if it is one as massive as the Los Angeles Lakers. And according to a recent report from Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, Ham is the guy LeBron would like to see get the job:
“He’s the guy LeBron wants,” a competing source said.
That would be a huge vote of confidence for a coach that doesn’t have any prior experience as a Head Coach in the NBA, and it surely also explains why Ham has been reported to be a finalist for the position. It would be tough for any coach to turn the Lakers around, let alone an inexperienced one, but if the main man believes in you, it will make the situation more appealing.
How much truth there is to this and if Ham is actually offered the job remains to be seen, but the Lakers could possibly use a new voice with some exciting ideas moving forward. After a season missing the play-in tournament, let alone the playoffs, some drastic measures are called for to get the franchise back to the top.
