Just weeks into his tenure as Lakers head coach, Darvin Ham has been doing everything in his power to support his players and protect his team. Unfortunately, he was seemingly unable to keep his own coaching staff together.
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, former NBA star Rasheed Wallace will no longer be joining the Lakers as an assistant coach after being announced as a future staff member earlier this month.
After further conversations, former NBA All-Star Rasheed Wallace will no longer join new Lakers coach Darvin Ham’s staff, sources said. Wallace served as an assistant under Penny Hardaway at the University of Memphis last season.
Darvin Ham has been very vocal and aggressive in talks with the media so far. He has a clear vision for the team, a vision that may not have been in line with Wallace’s.
During a recent appearance on SHOWTIME’s All the Smoke, Ham talked about his expectations for next season, seemingly calling out Russell Westbrook or anybody who doesn’t feel good to be with the Lakers.
“Competing at a high level. We’re going to be together. The most together team always does well, always wins at the end of the day,” Ham stated. “And accountability. We’re going to be tough. We’re going to be defensive-minded. That’s the side of the ball where you’re going to see the quickest and most drastic improvement and we’re going to share offensively. Again, we want everybody all in on what we’re doing. We don’t want anybody that’s second-guessing being a Laker or ‘Am I in the right place?’ or this, that and the third.”
It’s all-in or nothing for the Lakeshow. After so much unrest and turmoil, Ham is ready to steer the ship in a new direction, and he has no doubts about where it’s headed.
As for Rasheed Wallace, only time will tell where he ends up — but it won’t be the Lakers anymore, that’s for sure.
