Poor Darvin.
The Los Angeles Lakers fired head coach Darvin Ham on Friday after only two seasons, the team announced on Twitter.
Lakers Part Ways With Head Coach Darvin Ham pic.twitter.com/or3Bx2mZ5w
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) May 3, 2024
Ham had a 90-74 regular season record but only went 9-12 in the playoffs. After getting bounced in the Western Conference Finals last season, Ham’s Lakers didn’t even make it out of the first round in 2024, losing the series 4-1 to the Denver Nuggets.
In Ham’s defense, he was coaching with his hands tied behind his back. With LeBron James de-facto running the show, Ham was often allegedly overruled on play calls, as LeBron would reportedly routinely undermine Ham. (RELATED: ‘I Vetoed It’: LeBron Admits To Overruling His Head Coach On Playcalls)
“He sits in the huddle and gets his rest/water, rolls his eyes as Ham speaks, and waits for the huddle to break,” a source told Lakers Daily‘s Anthony Irwin. “If Ham ever does draw up a play, as soon as the huddle breaks, James will tell everyone else on the court with him ‘fuck all that’ and calls a play of his own.”
Like … what the hell dude? Imagine doing this in any other job. “Hey, Mike. Boss wants you to pour that concrete for the foundation over by the side wall.”
“Yeah, screw that. I’m gonna sandblast some plywood.”
It just speaks to the wild and overt privilege LeBron allegedly enjoys on a daily basis.
He often appeared to openly display contempt for his now-fired skipper, shooting him death stares while appearing on NBA broadcasts that he knows get beamed to millions of people.
I’m just gonna say it: LeBron James is a coach killer. Whoever takes Ham’s place next season will be the fourth coach to helm the Lakers since LeBron took his talents west. Overall, he’s been through nine coaches in his 21 NBA seasons. The only coach whose career he didn’t completely destroy is the Miami Heat’s Erik Spoelstra, who will likely be a Hall of Famer some day
LeBron’s diva antics just ruined another man’s career. You just hate to see it.