Coach Darvin Ham was fired by the Lakers after just two seasons in command and a first-round playoff defeat.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers fired coach Darvin Ham on Friday after just two seasons in charge.
The Lakers revealed on social media that they were dismissing Ham four days after their season ended with a first-round playoff loss to Denver in five games.
Ham led Los Angeles to the Western Conference finals less than a year ago in his debut season as an NBA head coach. He had taken Frank Vogel’s place, who the Lakers fired in 2020, precisely eighteen months after the team won its 17th championship.
Ham had two winning seasons and made two playoff appearances, but that’s not enough with the championship-focused Lakers. With little time left to capitalize on the concurrent presence of Anthony Davis and 39-year-old LeBron James — who hasn’t decided whether to return for his 22nd NBA season — the Lakers are resetting their coaching staff once again instead of blaming general manager Rob Pelinka for his roster construction.
“We greatly appreciate Darvin’s efforts on behalf of the Lakers and recognize the many accomplishments achieved over the past two seasons, including last year’s remarkable run to the Western Conference finals,” Pelinka said in a statement. “We all want to thank Darvin for his dedication and positivity. While this was a difficult decision to make, it is the best course of action following a full review of the season. This organization will remain unwavering in its commitment to deliver championship-caliber basketball to Lakers fans around the world.”
The Lakers, who went 47-35 in the regular season and won the NBA’s first-ever In-Season Tournament, had a dismal year under Ham’s leadership. After defeating New Orleans in a play-in game, the Lakers advanced to the seventh seed in the very contested Western Conference. However, this meant they would have to play Denver, who eliminated them from the playoffs the previous year.
In their first-round series, Los Angeles held a significant lead against the reigning champion Nuggets for extended periods of time. However, Nikola Jokic and his teammates eventually advanced to the second round with a string of comeback victories.
