Darvin Ham expected to make swift return to coaching

Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham. Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Darvin Ham could make swift return to coaching an NBA team

By Adam Taylor | Last updated 5/3/24

Darvin Ham's tenure as the Los Angeles Lakers head coach has ended. The franchise fired him on Friday. Ham's fate was sealed when the Denver Nuggets eliminated his team from the playoffs in the opening round. Despite having some elite talents at his disposal, he struggled to help his team build an identity this season.

However, it would appear that Ham has admirers around the league. As such, it's expected that he will make a swift return to the sidelines in the coming months.

“Darvin Ham is expected to be a head-coaching candidate elsewhere in this league whether it's in this cycle or the future,” Adrian Wojnarowski said on ESPN's "SportsCenter."

Reporting for ⁦@SportsCenter⁩ on ESPN’s breaking news of the Lakers dismissing Darvin Ham pic.twitter.com/R52nLkjtNp
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 3, 2024

Despite the Lakers' struggles this season, Ham has undoubtedly earned some admirers around the NBA. He handled the pressure that comes with coaching in Los Angeles well. He navigated some of the biggest personalities a coach has to deal with. And, he found a way to give the Nuggets a tough run, regardless of what the final result was.

Ham would benefit from landing with a rebuilding team. He needs time to work with a younger roster, develop them into a contending level team, and prove he's a talented head coach. The LeBron James-led Lakers is far from the ideal situation to cut your teeth as a young coach in the league. There's too much pressure and scrutiny that comes with that task.

There will undoubtedly be a few openings for head-coaching jobs in the coming months. The Charlotte Hornets are currently in the process of hiring a new face. The Hornets' job may be too soon for Ham, but it's certainly the type of gig that would make sense for the recently fired coach.

Ham deserves another shot in the league. He will undoubtedly be hoping that opportunity comes sooner rather than later. However, it would be wise to let the dust settle and wait for the right situation to arise. Rushing into things could land him in another unfavorable spot, and you only get so many chances in the NBA.

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