In the early morning of May 4, Beijing time, the Lakers made an important decision, they fired head coach Darvin Darvin Darvin who still had two years left on his contract. The Lakers expressed their gratitude to Ham in an official statement. Next, the Lakers will re-select coaches, including veteran coach Atkinson, newcomer Redick and Tyronn Lue, who currently has a one-year contract with the Clippers.
A few days ago, the Lakers were eliminated by the Nuggets 1-4 in the first round of the playoffs, and this became the last straw that broke the camel's back. In fact, after the fifth game, a number of media outlets in the United States reported that Ham would most likely be out of class. It can be seen that such an idea has long been born in the Lakers management.
Sure enough, the Lakers quickly announced that they had broken up with Ham and that none of the coaching staff members remained. As a rookie coach, Hamm actually has a good record of leading the team. During Ham's first year as coach of the Lakers, he led the team to the heights of the Western Conference Finals. The following year, he won the mid-season and made the playoffs again. However, such a result is still far from the Lakers' goal of winning a championship, especially in the last two seasons when they were eliminated by the same opponent, the Nuggets.
Of course, Ham's lack of on-the-spot experience, especially his ability to make quick adjustments in the face of unexpected situations, obviously needs to be improved. This is also the hard wound of his coaching.
Ham once said after the season: "I think I'm doing well, I'm always trying to make the team better, it's a lot of pressure in this position, there's a lot of problems to solve, but my goal has always been the same, which is to win a championship." But the attitude of the players and fans is the deciding factor, and in the conversations between the Lakers hierarchy and the players, it is clear that Ham has lost the trust of the locker room.
So, who will become Ham's replacement after he leaves class? According to US media reports, 39-year-old Redick, Lue, who is currently under contract with the Clippers, and veteran coach Atkinson are all important candidates.
After finishing his playing career, Redick is currently doing a video analysis show on ESPN, and he also has two podcasts, one of which is to discuss basketball skills and tactics with James. Although Redick is said to have no coaching experience, James is very optimistic about him. In addition, Redick is also interested in starting a coaching career, after the Hornets interviewed him.
Outside analysts believe that the Lakers will face a greater risk if they hire Redick as the head coach, after all, the Lakers' goal is to win the championship. Still, the Lakers seem to be willing to give rookie coaches a chance, as evidenced by their hiring of Ham back then. And a more critical factor is the relationship between the coach and James, and in this regard, Redick undoubtedly has a big advantage.
Lue is the coach the Lakers have always wanted to sign. In 2019, the Lakers offered Lue a contract, but he didn't accept it. The two sides could not agree on some details at that time. However, Lue's coaching ability, especially the deep trust he built with James when he was an assistant coach with the Cavaliers, has led the Lakers to always want to sign him. Lue became the head coach of the Clippers in 2020 and was also recognized by the Clippers' management. Lue currently has one year left on his contract, but Clippers management wants to renew him early. Judging by the current situation, it is unlikely that the Lakers will sign Lue.
Atkinson has a more extensive resume, having served as an assistant coach with the Warriors and won championships. But he also had his time as head coach when he led the team to chaos, such as when Atkinson was in charge of the Nets, he was unable to control superstar Irving. How to control the big players in their hands is probably the biggest problem for Atkinson.
Text/Beiqing Sports Song Xiang