“I don’t look at Juwan Howard as a big ‘what if’ moment” - Shannon Sharpe says Darvin Ham is the right for the LA Lakers despite not being first choice, believes top-notch coaches don’t want the Lakers job
The LA Lakers are embarking on a big offseason after a nightmarish 33-49 season despite their high preseason aspirations.
With Frank Vogel fired a day after the season ended, the first order of busines was to find a new man in charge. That candidate – Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach Darvin Ham – was introduced on Monday as their new head coach. It was a thorough process, involving a number of candidates with head coaching experience.
Although many speculated that Ham wasn't the team's first choice, plenty still believe the first-time head coach is the right man for the job. Analyst Shannon Sharpe said that despite rumors that the Lakers initially wanted Michigan coach Juwan Howard, he believes Ham was the right choice.
"I believe he is," Sharpe said on 'Skip and Shannon: Undisputed.' "I don't look at Juwan Howard as a big 'what if' moment for me. Darvin has just as good a reputation around the NBA as Juwan."
.@ShannonSharpe on whether Darvin Ham is the right fit for the Lakers:
"I believe he is, I don't look at Juwan Howard as a big 'what if' moment for me. Darvin has just as good a reputation around the NBA as Juwan." https://t.co/1FtDKsofBJ
LA Lakers start crucial offseason with hire of Darvin Ham
The high-profile LA Lakers are always going to be the center of attention in the basketball world. After such a disappointing season, the organization needs to make moves to get back into contention. The first order of business was finding a new head coach, and Darvin Ham has the potential to be what the team needs.
Ham has built a reputation around the league and could be the motivated presence the team needs. There are still plenty of moves left to be done, as the roster will need some overhauling in order to get back to the playoffs next year.
Darvin Ham on the pressure of coaching the Los Angeles Lakers:
“I was shot in the face by accident in 1988. It made me fearless. I don’t feel no pressure, it’s basketball.” 💯 https://t.co/PD0Ag2xZLc
With superstar forward LeBron James getting ready for his 20th NBA season, the Lakers are running out of time to make another run at a championship. James will turn 38 in late December.
Fans will also be watching to see what happens with westbrook" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis.
Westbrook, who will turn 34 in November, had one of the worst seasons of his career in his first season in Los Angeles. Moreover, he has seen declining production since his MVP season in 2016-17 with the OKC Thunder.
Davis had knee and ankle injuries that limited him to 40 games last season after playing in 36 of 72 in 2020-21.
Plus, the team will need to add depth to the roster.