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The Los Angeles Lakers have decided to hire Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach Darvin Ham as the team’s next head coach, according to Adrian Wojnarowski. Ham spent time with the Lakers as an assistant coach from 2011-13.
The Lakers have hired Darvin Ham as coach, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 28, 2022
Ham followed that stint with assistant gigs under Mike Budenholzer, first with the Atlanta Hawks and then with the Bucks. While he obviously deserves credit for helping bring a championship to Milwaukee, it’s hard to know exactly how much of an impact he had in developing the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton. Both stars likely would speak highly of him if asked, but it’s hard to know with assistant coaches.
The Lakers are looking to rebound after a dismal season and this hire clearly has the blessing of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The former is eligible for an extension in August, and the Lakers aren’t going to hire a coach James won’t work with. Let’s see if Ham can elevate the Lakers in 2022-23. According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the team is +2000 to win the NBA title next season.