"Their position in the standings is Darvin Ham's fault... they should not have to go to New Orleans on Tuesday and have to win a game" —@_JasonLT tells @ColinCowherd what went wrong for the Los Angeles Lakers
Will Darvin Ham still be in Los Angeles when the 2024-25 season begins? That is a valid question and one that many NBA analysts have been wondering. Although the Los Angeles Lakers reached the Western Conference Finals last year and won the inaugural In-Season Tournament this year, the team has suffered a ton of problems. They are just days away from possibly ending the season unless they win the Play-In Tournament.
If that happens, Ham may be leaving the Lakers. But many NBA coaches aren't fired for long and he could make his way to another franchise across the association.
Here are just some of the locations where Ham could move if he leaves the Lakers.
Detroit Pistons
When Monty Williams was signed to coach the Detroit Pistons last year, the front office knew that 2023-24 was going to be bad. But most didn't assume it would be this bad. There is a chance, no matter how small, that the team could fire Williams this summer in order to find a new coach. Could Ham fill that position?
But would the Pistons really give Williams his walking papers after signing him to such an eye-popping deal last summer?
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls have been stuck in mediocrity for years now and head coach Billy Donovan hasn't been able to help them break out of the pack.
Now after four seasons of Donovan's leadership, the Bulls might need a new leader. Ham could fit into the franchise quite well and would especially work expertly with the team's big men.
Dallas Mavericks
If the Dallas Mavericks don't have a very strong postseason run, there is a good chance that head coach Jason Kidd will be out of a job. The team has been on such a strong roll lately that if they fall short in the playoffs, Kidd will be to blame.
If he took Kidd's job, Ham would go from working with one of the biggest names in the game, LeBron James, to another huge name, Luka Doncic.
Los Angeles Lakers
It might seem unlikely to some, but Ham still has a good chance at coming back to the Lakers next season.
The team is definitely going to attempt to make some changes this summer, mostly to the roster. Donovan Mitchell and Trae Young are just a couple of players the team may try to sign. Would they risk changing things up even more and add a new head coach too?
Of course, if the Lakers don't get far in the postseason, Ham will immediately be in the hot seat. The team has given him plenty of time to win a championship and they might feel it's time to move on.
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