Darvin Ham replacement at LA Lakers possibly identified if In-Season Tournament winning coach is sacked: Report
Earlier this week, reports emerged of a growing disconnect between Darvin Ham and the LA Lakers locker room. If the team decides to move on, reports have started to surface about who his replacement could be.
In a recent story for The Athletic, Sam Amick broke down the talk about Darvin Ham possibly getting removed as Lakers coach. While Doc Rivers has been a name floated around a lot, he does not seem to be the favorite within the organization. Instead, it's current assistant coach Phily Handy.
When you talk to people closer to the situation, it's Lakers assistant coach Phil Handy who is more often brought up as a possible pick. But again, we're not quite there yet," wrote Amick.
After what many considered to be a strong offseason, the Lakers have underwhelmed recently. Since being crowned champions of the In-Season Tournament, they have trended in the wrong direction.
After beating the Indiana Pacers in the ICT final, the Lakers have gone 3-9. Two of those wins came against teams with some of the worst records in the league, the Charlotte Hornets and the San Antonio Spurs. LA most recently suffered a blowout loss at home to the Miami Heat, who were without Jimmy Butler.
Following this poor stretch, the Lakers are tenth in the Western Conference with a 17-18 record.
Would Phil Handy be a good replacement for Darvin Ham as Lakers coach?
If the LA Lakers decide to part ways with Darvin Ham, it would result in an extremely short tenure as coach. He just took the position last year after they had let go of Frank Vogel.
Making the change within the organization would be good, but Phil Handy is in a similar position as Darvin Ham. While he has a lot of coaching experience, it's primarily as an assistant. Handy has built good relationships with players over the years as he specializes in player development.
Handy spent years as a pro overseas after not getting picked in the NBA draft in 1995. He later began his coaching career in 2011 with the Lakers. Over the past decade, he has been an assistant coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors as well.
Led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Lakers are a team looking to compete for titles right now. Hence, replacing a first-time head coach with another might not be the best move. Handy has the expeirence to be a coach in the NBA, but his lack of experience could hurt them.
If the Lakers want any shot at contending in the Western Conference this season, changes need to be made and quickly.