The Lakers fired Darvin Ham on Friday after just two seasons, both of which concluded with losses to the Denver Nuggets - in the Western Conference finals in 2023 and in the first round of the playoffs this season.
The Lakers' next coach will be their fourth in seven seasons. They did not re-sign Luke Walton after his third season, fired Frank Vogel after three seasons, including the 2020 title, and now Ham has left.
Who should the Lakers turn to next? They have had former players (Walton and Ham) and first-time head coaches (Walton and Ham), as well as an experienced coach (Vogel).
With LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Lakers still have a chance to win a championship.
Terry Stotts has served as head coach for three teams: Atlanta, Milwaukee, and Portland. His longest career with the Trail Blazers was nine seasons.
He went 402-318 with Portland, helping the Blazers make the playoffs eight times in a row. They made it to the conference finals once (2019) and the semifinals twice more, and the Blazers won 50 or more games three years under Stotts.
Ty Lue is the Los Angeles Clippers' coach, and the Clippers have taken up the 2024-2025 team option on his contract, indicating that an extension with the Clippers is feasible.
Wherever Lue coaches next season, a team will have to pay up, as Lue is estimated to earn around $10 million per season.
Budenholzer, a two-time NBA Coach of the Year, has a 484-317 regular-season record and 56-48 playoff record in ten seasons, five with Atlanta and five with Milwaukee.
Kenny Atkinson, a Golden State Warriors assistant, coached the Brooklyn Nets, and despite his record over four seasons was 118-190, his teams improved.
J.J. Redick We know that JJ Redick is familiar with Xs and Os. We see and hear this on James' Mind the Game podcast. It's fascinating and informative, and Redick clearly knows how to train. Can he be the head coach for this Lakers team?
Is this a suitable position for a first-time NBA head coach with no assistant coaching experience? Steve Nash's stint in Brooklyn did not go well.
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