After nearly three weeks of quiet speculation on the coaching front, the Lakers might be looking to raid the staff of the defending champions.
The Athletic was first to report that the Lakers have requested permission to interview Darvin Ham, a 48-year-old assistant for the Milwaukee Bucks, who are preparing for a second-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics.
Ham has been a much-cited name as a first-time head coaching candidate in the last few years, particularly after winning a title with Milwaukee under head coach Mike Budenholzer in 2021. A Michigan native who played eight journeyman NBA seasons (winning a ring with the Detroit Pistons in 2004), Ham previously served as a Lakers assistant under Mike Brown from 2011-13.
The Lakers are looking to replace Frank Vogel, who was fired immediately after the 2021-22 season. While several active head coaches have been reported to be of interest – including Utah’s Quin Snyder, Philadelphia’s Doc Rivers and Toronto’s Nick Nurse – other assistants with head coaching experience or even experienced assistants like Ham could be in the mix.
One of the few coaching qualities that General Manager Rob Pelinka specifically cited after dismissing Vogel earlier this month was a strong locker room presence. As a former player and one of the respected voices in Milwaukee’s locker room, Ham could fit that particular bill.
“We want a strong voice that’s able to inspire the players to play at the highest level of competition every night,” Pelinka said. “And I think that’s going to be one of the resounding qualities that we look for in terms of holding everybody from the top player on our team to the 15th man to a degree of accountability.”
The Lakers have some incumbent challenges in getting the head coach of their dreams: Several of Vogel’s assistants remain under contract and could be in the mix to be on next season’s staff; there is uncertainty clouding the future of Russell Westbrook, the franchise’s highest-paid player; Vogel’s firing – in which he was reported to be dismissed some 12 hours before he officially heard it from the front office – was severely botched.
While the Lakers are just 18 months removed from winning the 2020 NBA title, those elements have wound up painting the franchise as dysfunctional and made those in coaching circles somewhat wary, sources have told Southern California News Group.
Ham’s presence has been cited both on and off the court: He was one of the big voices who led to Milwaukee’s 2020 decision to walk out of their playoff game against the Orlando Magic, leading to a league-wide stoppage in response to social justice issues. He interviewed for the Washington Wizards’ job last offseason (a position Lakers assistant Phil Handy also interviewed for) and was reportedly a candidate for the Sacramento Kings in their coaching search.
Notably, Ham competed against Kobe Bryant in the 1997 All-Star dunk contest, then later gained Bryant’s respect on the Lakers’ bench. Pelinka, of course, is Bryant’s former agent with strong Michigan roots of his own.