SUMMARY
- Los Angeles Lakers are facing challenges in the 2023-24 NBA season, marked by a series of losses.
- Disconnection between Lakers' core players and head coach Darvin Ham raises questions about the team's performance under Ham's leadership.
The Los Angeles Lakers are seeded at No. 11 in the Western Conference and have just recorded their third double-digit loss since 2024 started. Along with this trailing record, the team has won just five of the last 16 games after facing the Pacers in the In-Season tournament. While the team is receiving backlash from the entire league, the front office has assured Lakers’ head coach Darvin Ham that he doesn’t need to worry.
The Lakers are coming off a loss against the Phoenix Suns on January 11, 2024, after managing to win two games by a really thin margin. However, the rising disconnect between the core players and Coach Ham is very well documented by the media. Offering an exclusive opinion on the same matter, Shaquille O’Neal dropped some insights on his podcast.
“What I know for a fact, in the locker room, resume is important. You mean to tell me LeBron’s gonna listen to Darvin Ham in the thick of things? I know the answer to that. You think A.D. is gonna listen to Darvin Ham?”
– Shaq
(🎥 @bigpodwithshaq / https://t.co/ifuwOkKu9Q) pic.twitter.com/esTTHMfKiY
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 12, 2024
Neal said, “You know all the other guys may listen to Darvin. That’s no disrespect to Darvin Ham, but no championship experience, no playoff experience. So, you know, if I’m a guy that has been there, been to the title run a lot, why would I listen to a guy that hasn’t been there?” It’s a fact that the seat is warming up for Ham; however, he seems to have the support of the Lakers’ front office.
Jeanie Buss and GM Rob Pelinca have made up their minds to be patient with the team’s progress. However, with the third double-digit loss, the stars may not align for Darvin Ham, as he goes on to blame the lack of frontcourt coverage and players’ health as the reason for the loss.
Darvin Ham has no championship experience
Head coach Ham is serving his second season with the Lakers after being an assistant for the longest time. In Ham’s first season with the Lakers, the team did make it to the Western Conference finals, only to succumb to a loss against the defending champions in the final game. This season as well, Ham assisted the team to conjure up a win in the NBA inaugural in-season tournament in 2023.
However, the team seems to be struggling with the issue of frequently changing lineups this season. Ham has experimented with over 10 lineups this year, as per Jovan Buha of The Athletic. It is worth noting that the 50-year-old former player doesn’t have any championship experience as a head coach. Nor does he have playoff experience.
Although he helped the Milwaukee Bucks win a championship, he was in the role of an assistant coach in 2021. After all, it was his record with the Milwaukee Bucks that helped him end up with the Lakers after facing rejection from various franchises.
