The Los Angeles Lakers have parted ways with their coach Darvin Ham after the early end of the season. The NBA club announced this on Friday, four days after being eliminated in the first play-off round by defending champion Denver Nuggets.
Ham took over the team around superstar LeBron James and Anthony Davis two years ago, and the 50-year-old still had a contract for two more seasons.
The decision to separate was difficult to make, but the best one after looking back on the past season, the Lakers said in a statement. “It’s been a damn hard two years sitting on this seat, I can tell you that. It’s been a damn tough two years,” Ham said Monday after the Game 5 loss to the Nuggets.
Last year, the NBA record champion was only eliminated in the semifinals against Denver.
The selection of Ham’s successor is also likely to have a big impact on James’ future. The 39-year-old has until the end of June to decide whether to extend his contract for a season. But he can also be signed by another team. James did not explicitly rule out the end of his career after 21 seasons.
Lakers Part Ways With Head Coach Darvin Ham pic.twitter.com/or3Bx2mZ5w
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) May 3, 2024
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