Darvin Ham’s tenure as the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers spanned two seasons, during which the team navigated a series of highs and lows. Despite struggles with cohesion and consistency in the 2022-23 season, the Lakers managed to secure the 7th seed in the NBA playoffs. Remarkably, they advanced to the Western Conference finals, becoming only the second 7-seed in NBA history to achieve this feat. However, their impressive run ended there, as the eventual champions, the Denver Nuggets, swept them.
In the subsequent 2023-24 season, the Lakers saw some incremental improvements under Ham’s leadership, again making it to the playoffs. Yet, their postseason journey was cut short, leading to a quick exit that left the fans and the franchise longing for more resounding and sustained success.
The culmination of these seasons, characterized by unmet expectations despite notable achievements, prompted the Lakers to conclude their partnership with Ham. The franchise is now at a critical juncture, actively seeking a new head coach capable of elevating the team to the high standards of performance and success historically associated with the Lakers. The search is extensive, with the Lakers considering several potential candidates.
Tyronn Lue
Basketball betting markets online have odds available where the next Lakers head coach is concerned about having Tyronn Lue at the top of the list and for a good reason. Not only was Lue close to signing on as the Lakers head coach previously, but he’s also somebody who can add something more to what the franchise had under Ham. Lue is a superb tactician, especially when making in-game adjustments to gain the upper hand, something Ham failed at. The Los Angeles Clippers head coach would likely jump at the chance to lead the Lakers finally, and he already has a relationship with LeBron James, which is another plus.
Mike Budenholzer
Like many candidates who could replace Ham as the Lakers head coach, Mike Budenholzer has things that go in his favor and work against him. Starting with the former, Budenholzer won the NBA title with the Milwaukee Bucks, so having championship-winning experience is a significant advantage. He also proved himself capable of delivering consistently good regular seasons with the Bucks. However, the Lakers don’t want another Ham, as it didn’t work last season. Budenholzer happens to have been the man who taught Ham everything he knows, which may be off-putting.
JJ Redick
JJ Redick may not jump out as an obvious choice to be the next Lakers head coach because he doesn’t have any experience as a coach. For some, that would be a deal breaker, but that may not be the case with the Lakers because Redick has impressive basketball IQ, which could help seal the deal. When his playing days ended, Redick turned to talking about basketball and even podcasting with LeBron James, which is something to note. For the Lakers, it will be about balancing the pros and cons. Redick’s lack of experience is a drawback, but his basketball IQ and relationship with James could put him into the franchise’s thinking.
Kenny Atkinson
When the Lakers hired Ham in 2022, Kenny Atkinson was close to getting the job, which means he will undoubtedly be considered this time after going close just two years ago. Atkinson’s lack of experience worked against him slightly in 2022, but since then, he’s been assistant to Steve Kerr at the Golden State Warriors, so he’s added something potentially lacking. You would think that the Lakers would have candidates higher up their list than Atkinson, but the fact they looked seriously before and considered him puts him in the running, at the very least. His potential is his selling point.