In a chat with the media following the dismissal of former Bucks coach Adrian Griffin, Darvin Ham spoke honestly about the firing and described it as “tough” to see a guy lose his job despite starting the season with the second-best record in the East (30-13).
“Man, it’s tough to see that happen, especially to one of your colleagues, a guy that I know personally,” Ham said. “He’s a good dude, always been great to me, has worked his ass off to be in that seat. Knowing the type of standard that’s been set with that franchise in terms of what they’re striving for, year in and year out, and the type of moves they’ve made to put themselves in position to be considered a legit contender.”
The news hit the public on Wednesday, but it was a situation that was brewing for a long time. In Los Angeles, Darvin Ham is trying his best to avoid the chopping block but it will be no easy task to fix the Lakers this season.
“Having said all that, my grandma always told me that when your plate is full, don’t look at others… Continuity matters and communication matters as well. So communication and collaboration create continuity. I wasn’t there, have no idea what transpired, but it was a move they felt like they needed to make and I wish both parties well.”
Only time will tell if firing Griffin was the right move but Ham could be next if things don’t turn around for the Lakers. At 21-22 this season, they’ve been painfully mediocre and Ham is getting the brunt of the blame.
Ham On The Hot Seat?
The reality for coaches in today’s NBA is that their job is never safe. For high-level contenders and teams on the clock to compete, the margin for error is thin and any signs of disappointment will only add to the pressure to perform. For the Lakers especially, mediocrity is not tolerated and the Lakers have been nothing but mediocre aside from their short-lived playoff run last season.
With fans everywhere questioning his rotations and players seemingly throwing him under the bus, there are more questions than ever about if Darvin is the guy to lead the Lakers to their next title. If not, they better find their guy soon before LeBron James hangs it up for good.
Ham Is “Not Worried” About Lakers Tenure
Despite how it looks from the outside, Darvin Ham remains confident that he’ll have control of the Lakers for the foreseeable future. In his latest attempt to quell the rumors, he pointed to his relationship with Jeanie Buss and confirmed that he was in constant communication with the front office.
For now, the Lakers are still focused on improving via trade but nothing is off the table if they continue to slide down the standings. With LeBron James at 39 years old, there’s only so much time left before their title window closes and the Lakers want to capitalize on the opportunity while it lasts.
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