The NBA rumor mill is in full swing, and the latest word on the street is that Darvin Ham could go from coaching LeBron James at the Los Angeles Lakers to working with Stephen Curry at the Golden State Warriors.
According to Anthony Slater of The Athletic, the Dubs have held talks with Ham over the last few weeks over a possible role as an assistant coach. However, it looks like it won’t come to fruition:
“The Warriors had some conversation with former Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham in recent weeks, per league sources. That isn’t expected to materialize. But it is a signal of the Warriors’ desire to add a big-name assistant, and indications are they are in search of either a former head coach or former player to fill the role. If Atkinson leaves, they may add two assistant coaches. It remains a fluid time across the league in the coaching world.“
An assistant at the Milwaukee Bucks before taking the reins of the Lakers in the summer of 2022, Ham left Los Angeles with a 90-74 record in his first head coaching experience.
Darvin Ham looks on during a Lakers game.
While the purple and gold made the 2023 Western Conference Finals on his watch, the feeling was that Ham ultimately failed to get the most out of a squad led by LeBron James. It would be quite curious to see him work with Curry only a few months later, but we’ll have to wait and see.
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Lakers looking for Ham replacement with LeBron’s future uncertain
In the meantime, the Lakers have yet to figure out who will replace Ham next year. Tyronn Lue was one of the first names linked with the job, but his extension with the Clippers means he’s no longer a candidate to coach the Lakers.
JJ Redick is said to be in pole position to be hired by the Lakers, but this could drag on for weeks before the franchise announces its final decision. In the meantime, there’s James’ situation.
At 39, the 20x NBA All-Star has until June 29 to decide whether to opt into or decline a $51.4 million player option for the 2024-25 season. James hasn’t ruled out retirement or free agency, so it’s another big situation to monitor this offseason.
