4 Lakers Playing For Their Jobs in Game 4 Against the Nuggets

4. Darvin Ham, HC

Earlier this week, Lakers insider Anthony F. Irwin reported that the franchise planned to bring head coach Darvin Ham back next season, regardless of how the postseason ended. If that's the case, Jeanie Buss, Rob Pelinka, and the rest of management should probably reconsider things.

Since Irwin's report, the Lakers have dropped back-to-back games to the Nuggets and you can argue that Ham's lackluster coaching played a role. After all, the Lakers led by as many as 20 points in Game 2 and even fought to a 15-point lead in Game 3, but Ham's guidance wasn't good enough to prevent consecutive collapses.

I just don't see how the Lakers can justify bringing Ham back for the 2024-25 campaign if they get swept by the Nuggets again. It doesn't matter how good Denver is, it's clear that the 50-year-old head coach has lost the locker room and has essentially squandered another year of LeBron James and Anthony Davis' careers.

You'd be hard-pressed to find a single Lakers fan who'll believe in the team if Ham is given another encore next season. It's time for Buss and Pelinka to look in the mirrors and find themselves a legitimate solution to Los Angeles' coaching problem as opposed to another temporary bandaid.

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