On April 23, Beijing time, according to Lakers reporter Anthony Irwin, Ham is expected to continue to coach the Lakers next season, even if the playoffs are out early, it will not affect his position.
"I've been asking around, and the vast majority of people I've spoken to think Ham will be back next year, even if the Lakers are eliminated in the first round. "Ham's performance has been criticized by Lakers fans this season, and despite the presence of superstars James and Davis, the Lakers did not perform well in the regular season and only became the No. 7 seed in the West. They met the Nuggets in the first round, and after losing in G1, they have lost to this opponent nine times in a row.
Irwin said there are a few reasons why the Lakers don't expect to fire Ham. First, the Lakers roster has been plagued by injuries, with Vanderbilt, Wood, Reddish, and including Vincent, who has just returned, all suffering long-term injuries that have prevented Ham from getting a full roster. Second, last season's performance in the Western Conference finals has been able to keep Hamm's job.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the management led by Pelinka doesn't want to slap himself in the face, because he doesn't want to admit that he's gone too far, and the Lakers owners with limited financial resources don't want to spend more.
Firing Ham after just two seasons (with two years left on his contract) is tantamount to Pelinka admitting that he hired the wrong guy again after firing Vogel, who helped the Lakers win a championship four years ago. A championship-caliber head coach could cost Jenny Buss $10 million-$12 million, in other words, Lakers owner Jenny isn't willing to pay that much on top of the $8 million she paid to Ham.
Interestingly, a few weeks ago Hoopswire reported that several Lakers players wanted to fire Ham earlier this year. Will Ham's position be held forever? Do you think the team should fire Ham if the Lakers are eliminated in the first round?