Lakers Make a Move: Vogel Out, Ham In

In between games 1 and 2 of the NBA Finals where the Golden State Warriors are duking it out against the arch-rivals of the Los Angeles Lakers -- the Boston Celtics, the Lakers' search for a new head coach has come to an end with the hiring of Milwaukee Bucks assistant Darvin Ham. Following a disappointing season in which the Lakers missed the playoffs and finished the regular season 4th in the Pacific Division with an overall record of 33-49, which followed a first round exit in the playoffs the year before, L.A. brass was forced to make a decision at the head coaching position and replace Frank Vogel in hopes of turning things around. Despite coaching the Lakers to an NBA title just two seasons ago, the last two years since hoisting the franchise's 17th NBA Championship, tied for the most all-time, have been rough to say the least under coach Vogel. With injuries plaguing the Lake Show in each of the last two seasons, notably to All-Star Anthony Davis, and a near no-show performance from Russell Westbrook who the Lakers traded for prior to the season, LeBron James and company failed to keep up in the standings with the youthful and more athletic teams of the Western Conference. 

Hoping to be the first step in righting the ship for the Lakers is the hiring of the 48-year old Ham who becomes the 28th head coach in franchise history. While Ham is known for being a players coach with the respect from those in and around the league, the Lakers have landed themselves a hard-nosed worker with a no-nonsense attitude who is going to challenge his guys to be better and give their all as explained by two players currently facing off in the NBA Finals in Golden State's Draymond Green and Boston's Al Horford. Both of whom know Ham quite well, having looked up to him as Ham and Green both hail from the same hometown of Saginaw, Michigan, or having played under him as Horford spent four seasons from 2013-16 with Ham in Atlanta where he served as an assistant head coach with the Hawks. Horford credits Ham for challenging him to be a better player on the defensive end earlier in his career with Atlanta. Ham also knows the Lakers quite well, having first got his feet wet coaching in the NBA alongside former Lakers head coach Mike Brown from 2011-13 as an assistant. Though Laker fans would prefer to forget, Ham also helped beat the Lakers in the 2004 NBA Finals as member of the Detroit Pistons.

As a player, Ham bounced around from 1996 to 2008, playing for the NBA's Nuggets, Pacers, Wizards, Bucks, Hawks and aforementioned Pistons, before eventually calling it a career after stints in the D-League, as well as a few seasons spent playing overseas in Spain and the Philippines. While Laker fans welcome the new hire as a step in the right direction, it's very clear that the team is still a ways away from returning to the championship-caliber team that won it all just two seasons ago. First there's the aging lineup led by LeBron with a superstar talent in Davis who can never seem to stay on the court and remain healthy, and then there's the absolute debacle that was Westbrook which will be at the top of the list among Ham's top priorities when it comes to implementing his system, unless of course they're able to work a trade to deal him out of Tiseltown. Ham leaves a Milwaukee Bucks team coached by Mike Budenholzer whom he also worked under in Atlanta under the same title as assistant head coach. The two have worked together since 2013 and were key in helping bring Milwaukee their first NBA title since 1971. 

Among the other interviewees for the Lakers' head coaching vacancy were former Blazers head coach Terry Stotts and current Warriors assistant coach Kenny Atkinson who were said to have made the cut as the final three candidates before L.A. settled on Ham. While terms of the contract have not been disclosed, ESPN has reported that the two sides agreed to a four-year contract. Announcing the hire was L.A.'s general manager and Vice President of basketball operations Rob Pelinka who noted that the Lakers plan to hold an introductory press conference for Ham at 12pm on Monday June 6. 

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