The Lakers were eliminated by the Nuggets in Game 5 after a totally preventable 108-106 loss, and the blame is being pointed at head coach Darvin Ham.
Ham’s days at the Lakers’ organization may be numbered, according to a new report from The Athletic.
“The Lakers’ unflattering finish leaves Ham’s future as head coach in serious peril, multiple league and team sources tell The Athletic, with some stakeholders indicating it’s highly unlikely he’ll return,” the outlet said. “The plan is to reassess everything that went wrong in the coming days before making a final decision.”
Ham signed a four-year deal in 2022 worth around $5 million per season, so the franchise would have to front the rest of his deal if he were to be fired.
“It seemed like every time we hit a rhythm, somebody, a key piece, would fall out of the lineup. It is what it is, man,” Ham said after the Game 5. “I’m not going to feel sorry for myself, for ourselves. It’s an unbelievable franchise to represent. I couldn’t ask for a better governor, a better president of (basketball operations) in Rob Pelinka and Jeanie Buss. But I’ve seen a lot my first two years in this seat. I’ll continue to work, to get better and to control what I can control.”
Ham and Lakers star Anthony Davis were already not seeing eye-to-eye in the games leading up to the Lakers’ elimination.
If Ham goes, the big question is will LeBron James stay?
“It’s anticipated James, ahead of his June 29 option date, will want to see how the Lakers manage the offseason and their approach to building the roster around him and Davis,” The Athletic reports.
When asked if he’d play his last game as a Laker, LeBron said, “I’m not gonna answer that. I appreciate it.” And the press conference ended.