Lakers fire head coach Darvin Ham

Darvin Ham’s tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers has officially come to an end.

The Lakers made the decision to part ways with their head coach following their early exit from the playoffs at the hands of the Denver Nuggets.

Ham spent just two seasons with the Lakers alongside LeBron James. The entire coaching staff was let go, as reported by ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

Lakers Part Ways With Head Coach Darvin Ham pic.twitter.com/or3Bx2mZ5w

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) May 3, 2024

Taking over for Frank Vogel after the 2021-22 season, Ham made an immediate impact by guiding the Lakers to the Western Conference Finals in his first season. However, they were ultimately swept by the eventual champions, the Denver Nuggets.

The Lakers kicked off this season on a high note, going undefeated in their first seven games and clinching the inaugural in-season tournament in Las Vegas in December.

LeBron James, in particular, shone during the tournament and was named MVP after putting up impressive numbers.

Despite their early success, the Lakers struggled to maintain momentum and fell into a slump, losing 12 of their next 17 games. This downward spiral led to a disappointing finish to the season with a 47-35 record.

Even with a strong finish to the regular season, the Lakers had to battle their way through the play-in tournament to secure a playoff spot. They managed to edge past the New Orleans Pelicans but were ultimately defeated by the Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs.

The Lakers will now be on the hunt for a new head coach to lead them into the next chapter as they aim to bounce back stronger in the upcoming seasons.