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The Los Angeles Lakers hired Milwaukee Bucks assistant Darvin Ham as their new head coach Friday, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, and superstar LeBron James voiced his support for the move on Twitter shortly after it was revealed.
Ham was one of three finalists for the Lakers’ head coaching job, joining Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson and former Portland Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.
According to Wojnarowski, Ham made a “strong impression on [the] Lakers in several areas, including his championship pedigree, his commanding presence, history of coaching stars and toughness.”
Ham replaces Frank Vogel, who was fired after a disappointing 2021-22 season in which the Lakers finished 11th in the Western Conference standings with a 33-49 record and missed the playoffs.
That said, the 48-year-old has his work cut out for him.
The contracts of James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook (player option) would take up nearly 74 percent of the salary cap, and the Lakers struggled with their team chemistry throughout the 2021-22 campaign.
If Westbrook stays in L.A., Ham will be tasked with helping the guard get back to his high level of play after his underwhelming first season with the Lakers.
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