Darvin Ham linked to new NBA job after Lakers firing

Nov 30, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers coach Darvin Ham at a press conference during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Darvin Ham’s reputation may not be totally cooked just yet.

Former Los Angeles Lakers coach Ham has been suggested as a name to monitor for an assistant coaching job with the Charlotte Hornets. Part of the thinking is that Ham and new Hornets head coach Charles Lee worked together for eight years from 2014-22 as assistants on the Milwaukee Bucks under Mike Budenholzer.

Though Ham was mentioned as a candidate for the lead assistant job in Charlotte, that position has since gone to Utah Jazz assistant coach Lamar Skeeter (per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN). Still, it stands to reason that Ham would be considered for one of the other remaining vacancies on Lee’s staff.

Ham, 50, led the Lakers to a 90-74 record (.549) in his two seasons as the team’s head coach. That included a Western Conference Finals appearance in 2023 (just the franchise’s second since 2010). But Ham was significantly criticized for his rotations and his in-game management and ultimately got fired earlier this month after the Lakers lost in the first round to the Denver Nuggets. Rumors later emerged as well that LeBron James was supposedly unhappy with Ham’s strategies.

While Ham might have been somewhat in over his head as a head coach, he has over a decade of experience as an NBA assistant coach and was a part of the Bucks staff that won the 2021 title. Should Ham return to that role with the Hornets or with another NBA team, he would likely be able to thrive.