Report: The Lakers Will Empower Darvin Ham as their New Coach!

Darvin Ham Begins Forming His Lakers Coaching Staff: Phil Handy Stays!: On Monday, Darvin Ham was introduced to the LA media as head coach. On Tuesday, he began shaping his staff. Most notable were the names of the guys from last year's staff he let go - David Fizdale, Mike Penberthy, John Lucas III - and one of the two guys he kept. Phil Handy is widely considered among the best assistant coaching in the NBA, a guy many believe should be getting more shine for head jobs. Handy, who worked with Ham on Mike Brown's Lakers staff a decade ago and has a deep relationship with LeBron James, isn't going anywhere. He, along with Quinton Crawford, will be part of next year's group as well. It's another piece of good news, and an indication that Ham will be able to make a strong pitch to those coaches he wants to see join his staff, including some who might be under contract in other cities. How much does it matter that he find a guy with head coaching experience? What about the other things Ha by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

33 min listen

The Lakers Hire Darvin Ham as Their Next Head Coach!!! EMERGENCY PODCAST!!!: Friday's show was all about why the Lakers should hire Darvin Ham, and someone must be listening. Friday evening, news broke that the Lakers have agreed to a four year contract with the former role player and long time NBA assistant to be their next head coach. The news was met with excitement from LeBron James, who tweeted out his support. Similar messages will undoubtedly be coming through the holiday weekend. It's a good move for the Lakers, who had an efficient, well run process leading them to a solid result. They learned some lessons, apparently, by giving Ham a fourth year, and while no dollar figures are yet available, it seems unlikely LA skimped there, either. Ham will now fill out his coaching staff, which shouldn't be hard given the respect he garners, and then Rob Pelinka will need to give Ham a team that can win games. That's a much tougher task. But for now, it's good news, Lakers fans! HOSTS: by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

17 min listen

Scouting Report: Is Darvin Ham the Right Coach for the Lakers?: We've covered Terry Stotts and Kenny Atkinson. Now it's time to scout the presumptive frontrunner for the Lakers head coach, Bucks assistant (and former Lakers assistant) Darvin Ham. He's widely respected among players and coaches around the league, and ticks a lot of boxes. Great communicator. Paid his dues. Worked on excellent staffs. LeBron James reportedly prefers him over the other two candidates. But on the other hand, Ham has never been an NBA head coach. So is he ready for the job? Kane PIttman, host of Locked On Bucks, joins the show to deliver a full scouting report on Ham, from his strengths and weaknesses to his responsibilities on Mike Budenholzer's staff. What would a Ham-led Lakers squad look like? Moreover, how much do we put on coaches that may not be their responsibility, ultimately? Can Ham overcome a lousy roster construction? Micromanagement? Is the Lakers job one where, as a first-time coach, he can d by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

36 min listen

Darvin Ham Will Be Introduced as Lakers Head Coach on Monday. What Do You Want to Hear?: Three-plus years ago, the Lakers introduced Frank Vogel as head coach in a press conference where he was an afterthought, thanks to a missed postseason, Magic Johnson's abrupt departure, Luke Walton's firing, coaching search shenanigans, and more. Later today (Monday), Darvin Ham will be introduced to replace Vogel, and while the team is hardly in a perfect place, there should be at least less overall angst. That should help make the day one of greater optimism, where Ham will have the opportunity to really make an impression on the city and his future players. What should Lakers fans want to hear from Ham? What are the most interesting questions that could be asked in order to get a feel for who he might become as head coach. And once everyone is done with Darvin, what questions are there for Rob Pelinka, who still hasn't spent a ton of time addressing Lakers media (and by extension, Lakers fans)? by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

31 min listen

The Lakers Introduce Darvin Ham as Head Coach: Talks Plans for LeBron, Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis and more!: The Lakers officially introduced Darvin Ham as the new head coach, and the press conference, which was by all accounts a rousing success, featured thoughts from the new guy about topics ranging from Russell Westbrook (in attendance), Anthony Davis, LeBron James, and much more. To begin, what qualified him for the job. As Rob Pelinka noted, this is a man who's paid his dues beginning in the G-League as both a coach and General Manager, but as Ham noted in glowing detail, his time on Mike Budenholzer's staffs in Atlanta and Milwaukee (where he was part of the 2021 championship) made lasting impressions on him. (As did his first NBA coaching job with the Lakers on Mike Brown's staff.) Ham also talked a lot about the role of Russell Westbrook, who for the time being is expected to be a part of the team next season. Ham expects the point guard to make sacrifices, just like ever by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

32 min listen

Milwaukee Bucks lack of assets presents difficult trade scenarios for NBA offseason: After discussing the reasons why the Milwaukee Bucks should keep Brook Lopez on yesterday's show, Kane dives into some of the responses which were largely suggesting it's time to move on from the big man. Why is Mo Bamba all of a sudden a buzz player? If you trade Brook, who are the FA options at center? Who else could the Bucks trade this offseason? Plus, Darvin Ham looks to be a finalist for the head coaching role of the Los Angeles Lakers! Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! PrizePicks Check out PrizePicks.com and use promo code: “NBA” or go to your app store and download the app today. PrizePicks is daily fantasy made easy! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. BetOnline BetOnline.net has you covered this season with more props, odds and lines than ever before. BetOnline – Wher by Locked On Bucks – Daily Podcast On The Milwaukee Bucks

24 min listen

From Giannis Antetokounmpo to LeBron James. Could Darvin Ham be the next Los Angeles Lakers head coach?: A longtime assistant of Mike Budenholzer could be set to be the next head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. With Darvin Ham reportedly the frontrunner for the job, Locked on Bucks and Locked on Lakers get together to discuss what Ham could bring to the franchise. The future of each franchise is also discussed and are there any similarities between coaching LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! PrizePicks Check out PrizePicks.com and use promo code: “NBA” or go to your app store and download the app today. PrizePicks is daily fantasy made easy! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. BetOnline BetOnline.net has you covered this season with more props, odds and lines than ever before. BetOnline – Where The Game Starts! Rock Auto by Locked On Bucks – Daily Podcast On The Milwaukee Bucks

36 min listen

How Will the Lakers Approach Hiring the Next Head Coach? Guest: Dan Woike, LA Times: On Wednesday's episode with Dan Woike of the LA Times, we covered the Russell Westbrook Experience. What it was like to cover him, and more importantly, what it was like for the players and coaches who had to work with him. From there, we turned to the question of accountability and transparency, and whether the Lakers are displaying either quality (and why it matters that, spoiler alert, they're not). Finally, as focus turns to the coaching search, it's worth asking why, specifically, Frank Vogel was canned. In today's episode - Part II with Dan! - we get deeper into the coaching question. What are the Lakers looking for in their next head coach? Where will they look? As things go from rumor to more concrete information about what options the Lakers are exploring, will a through line emerge between the candidates? Will it be a more scattershot approach? Will they provide an element of freedom, or will by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

33 min listen

The Kyrie Irving Rumors Gain Some Steam, While the Lakers Prepare for Free Agency: Free agency begins this week in the NBA, and the Lakers have a tremendous amount of work in front of them. But as the curtain rises on rebuilding yet another brand new Lakers roster, there's more smoke billowing around the Kyrie Irving-to-LA conversation. Not any fire, yet, it would appear, but with careful NBA reporters saying that LeBron James and Kyrie are communicating and that there's some substance to the interest, it's not nothing, either. And with James Harden reportedly set to take a less-than-max-length extension with Philadelphia, does that change the arithmetic around Kyrie's leverage, whether in Brooklyn or L.A.? What about LeBron's leadership? In an interview with Bloomberg, Golden State's Draymond Green noted that LeBron's presence would help mitigate Kyrie's relative lack of leadership skills. Certainly not a guy you'd want as a frontman, for sure... which means LeBron has to be here as l by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

34 min listen

Darvin Ham Says the Lakers Have a Championship Caliber Roster. Is He Right?: Not that you'd expect otherwise, but Darvin Ham was talking up the Lakers roster earlier this week with Mark Medina of The Sporting Tribune. Ham says the Lakers absolutely have a roster capable of winning an NBA championship. Not that he was saying the Lakers should be prohibitive favorites or anything, but that they've got the pieces to get it done. So is he right? Or is this just a coach delivering the normal platitudes you get in July? It's hard to argue with his premise. The Lakers, after all, are coming off a Western Conference Finals appearance, and even if you don't think they radically improved this offseason, they certainly didn't get any worse. (And realistically, while the improvement wasn't massive - that sort of transformative thing wasn't really available to them - they enter the season with a more balanced roster than last season and the opportunity to build with continuity. That continuity thin by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

30 min listen

Lakers Owner Jeanie Buss Speaks! Impatience, Luxury Taxes, Accountability, and More.: Lakers owner/governor Jeanie Buss gave a rare interview with Bill Plaschke of the LA Times. She covered a lot of ground, starting with her frustration around this season's big, bold and ultimately wasted investments, and growing impatience with the direction the team has been trending. Buss also discussed accountability, putting herself at the top of the decision tree and noting she'd be willing to make whatever tough decisions are required going forward. And there was much discussion of other branches on that tree, from GM Rob Pelinka to special hoops advisor Kurt Rambis to... whatever Linda Rambis is. Buss says that Linda Rambis isn't involved in basketball operations, but also didn't really clarify exactly what she is doing, either. So in the end, did the interview make you feel better about the team than you did Tuesday morning? HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: Jeanie Buss speaks with by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

32 min listen

Mailbag! Lakers trades, Free Agency, LeBron's role and more. Plus, Adam Silver Speaks!: The Kamenetzky Brothers often take listener questions during a show, whether solicited over Twitter (@kambrothers) or email (kamenetzkybrothers@gmail.com). But every now and then, they go into full-on mailbag mode! Like today! First, however, they addressed NBA Commissioner Adam Silver's press conference before kicking off the NBA Finals, which were fairly frank about how crummy this past year was for the players, whether physically or mentally, in ways that may not be fully understood until a few years from now. On the flip side, the league's coffers are getting closer to whole, which was the reason everyone endured this in the first place. What to make of it all? From there, MAILBAG!!! The Kamenetzkys took a slew of questions from loyal listeners like @visiontoKAT, @LakersInMyBlood, Jim Joes, @CNTNation, @m1kk0_ and @donfurleone, hitting a wide range of topics about the Lakers... and beyond. Ho by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

32 min listen

JaVale McGee to Sacramento (No Lakers Reunion). Rob Pelinka Gets Ranked Among NBA General Managers: A prospective option for the 14th roster spot (that's the backup C, or the backup to the backup C, depending on your POV and the play of Jaxson Hayes...) is already off the board before most Lakers fans really had a chance to lean into any possibilities. JaVale McGee, three time NBA champ, one time Lakers champ, who was released by the Dallas Mavericks at the end of last week, has quickly moved on. He'll be joining the Sacramento Kings, via Chris Haynes of Yahoo! Sports. Smart move for JaVale, who quickly moves to a team that will play meaningful basketball this season. No reason to sit around waiting to see if there are better offers (especially since his salary is bigger than a minimum, courtesy of the Mavs). But it does indicate that the Lakers didn't see him as a priority relative to Christian Wood, Bismack Biyombo, or any other player hiding behind Door #3. Mistake? Smart? Discuss. by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

31 min listen

Is It Possible LeBron James Wouldn't Sign an Extension With the Lakers?: LeBron James has spent a great deal of his time in Los Angeles fighting significant injuries. He's been told to stay off that bad ankle this spring/summer for at least a month, probably more. So with all that in mind, and his advancing age and tremendous NBA mileage, it's at least worth contemplating the risks of offering him a $90-plus million extension this summer. But this week, Sam Amick of The Athletic wrote an interesting story that asks the other side of the same question: Would LeBron automatically accept an offer from the Lakers (as everyone assumes the organization will do)? What are the reasons LeBron might turn them down? What might have changed about his perception of the franchise? Is it really any different now than it was when he signed with them originally? When he signed his first extension with the team? Finally, everyone (James included) poked fun at the Timberwolves for, let's call it an extre by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

33 min listen

Is Trading LeBron James an Option? Plus Adrian Griffin Enters the Lakers Coaching Search: ESPN's Stephen A. Smith on Wednesday said the Lakers should trade LeBron James, since Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis torched their value, and there's no other way to improve... but is it even possible to create a deal that would make sense for both sides? Meanwhile, The Lakers coaching search has added Toronto assistant Adrian Griffin. Solid resume, though he's not even on the board when it comes to the oddsmakers forecasting who might get the job. The longest longshot? James as player-coach! Assuming he's not traded, of course. Finally, LeBron expressed his disgust at the voting for Most Improved Player, which went to Memphis guard Ja Morant. Not because he thinks Ja isn't good, but because he thinks he was too good already to even have been considered. So is he right? LeBron's problem with the voting gets to a bigger issue: Save maybe Rookie of the Year and 6th Man of the Year, does anybody by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

32 min listen

Why Westbrook Went Wrong. Plus, Are the Lakers Holding Themselves Accountable? Guest: Dan Woike: The Lakers have a tremendous amount of stuff to figure out this offseason - what to do with Russell Westbrook, what coach to replace Frank Vogel with, are LeBron James and Anthony Davis still a championship foundation, etc. - and a lot of it depends on developing a sense of self-awareness around where stuff went wrong. Until that happens, Jeanie Buss Rob Pelinka, Kurt/Linda Rambis and everyone else making decisions will likely flail about. Maybe they get it right. But then again, maybe they don't. Joining the show to discuss it all is Dan Woike, Lakers beat writer at the LA Times. We start with more insight into The Russ Experience. Woike seemed to get along, relatively speaking, with Westbrook through the season. Is that actually the case? What was it like to cover him, and why did everything go wrong? Clearly, he says, this was bad casting. Wrong dude for the wrong role he'd be expected t by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

31 min listen

Why Sunday's Game Against The Pelicans Is a Must Win. Plus, Can The Lakers Keep Malik Monk?: Almost to a man, following Wednesday's loss to the Sixers, the Lakers called Sunday's game against the Pelicans a must win. Given how tight the standings are at the bottom of the Western Conference quasi-playoff race, it's easy to see why. LeBron James is expected to play, and very well may have sat against Philly to make sure he could take the floor on Sunday with fresh legs. It could be argued at this point, all of their games fall into the "must win" category if the Lakers want to have control of their own destiny, and not depend on the Pelicans or Spurs to do them favors. Meanwhile, to complete a conversation from Thursday's show, what else could LeBron put in an endorsement-based swag bag for Kevin Love's wedding? Malik Monk's path to LA was described in a great feature from ESPN's Dave McMenamin earlier this week. How likely is it the Lakers could keep him? What the painful choices that g by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

33 min listen

NBA Finals Preview | Darvin Ham's Fit in Los Angeles | What's Next for the Miami Heat?: Matt Moore (@HPBasketball) and David Ramil (@dramil13) preview the NBA Finals, each team's strengths and weaknesses and offer predictions on the outcome. Plus, how can Darvin Ham impact the Lakers as their new head coach and can he get the best out of a poorly-constructed roster? And how does Miami approach the offseason? With questions about their point guard and role players, can the Heat find a way to build on this season's success? Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! PrizePicks Check out PrizePicks.com and use promo code: “NBA” or go to your app store and download the app today. PrizePicks is daily fantasy made easy! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. BetOnline BetOnline.net has you covered this season with more props, odds and lines than ever before. BetOnline – Where Th by Locked On NBA – Daily Podcast On The National Basketball Association

34 min listen

Rui Hachimura Has Juiced the Lakers' Offense, and Michael Cooper May be Entering the Hall of Fame.: The path this season for Rui Hachimura hasn't exactly been super duper smooth. There have been injuries, inconsistent performance, and extremely inconsistent stretches of playing time. His path to the starting lineup at the beginning of last month was somewhat accidental. But since he got there? Man alive, has he played well, and the Lakers have thrived. To the point that in March, he was the most efficient player in the NBA. His attention to detail defensively, Darvin Ham says, has increased. He's rebounding the ball with increased vigor, something the Lakers really, really, REALLY needed him to do. Darvin Ham says he's finally gightened up on the details enough to merit this type of role. OThers might argue he could have been doing it a lot longer if given a chance. It's an interesting part of the broader saga for the Lakers this season, one where moves that could be at least som by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

35 min listen

Are LeBron James and Anthony Davis Still a Championship Core? Guest: Jovan Buha, The Athletic (Part I): The Lakers have a lot of work to do this offseason, but one of the more foundational bits of business is figuring out what they still have in their star core. After two years of injuries scuttling seasons, is the core of LeBron James and Anthony Davis still one that can be reliably championship caliber? If the Lakers are nervous about the pairing, what exactly can they do to move on? Can they have Lebron but not necessarily go all in to win with him? This is the starting point of a two-part conversation with The Athletic's Jovan Buha, It kicks off answering the "What do they have?" question regarding James and Davis, and from there moves into "What can they get to make things better?" Should re-signing Malik Monk really be the team's top priority? Are there more pressing needs, even if Monk represents their most positive contributor from this season who isn't under contract? What els by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

34 min listen

LeBron Reportedly Likes Mark Jackson as a New Coach. Would the Lakers Hire him?: As we all settle into the Lakers' offseason, big questions - and there are many - rumors and reports are already circulating about the direction the team might go in replacing Frank Vogel. One nugget reported by Sam Amick at The Athletic? LeBron James would be interested in the Lakers hiring former Warriors/current ESPN broadcaster Mark Jackson. Now, this is highly unikely (Jackson was a rumored candidate after the Lakers canned Luke Walton, and even when the Cavs fired David Blatt), but the concept raises interesting questions about how the Lakers need to approach the coaching search. Because while Jackson is hardly the perfect candidate, that guy doesn't exist. It's very unlikely the Lakers will have access to the creme de la creme of uber-elite coaching options. So they need to be very clear on what they want, why, and who can deliver on their top priorities. From there, they have to match that coach wi by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

33 min listen

Is Jason Kidd leaving? Plus, we remember the Lakers' 2009 championship!: Jason Kidd is always a hot name for coaching searches, and this offseason is no exception. The Lakers' assistant coach will reportedly interview with the Orlando Magic, which prompts a discussion about his credentials... and also his off-court baggage. It's also the anniversary of the Lakers' 2009 championship, which the Kamenetzkys covered. What are the biggest memories of that team? And finally, they kick off a series examining the performance of key players. It begins with the back of the rotation: Markieff Morris, Jared Dudley and Ben McLemore. Hosts: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: It feels like Kidd will be coaching somewhere else next season, despite a mediocre reputation as a tactician and many past transgressions away from the court. The Kamenetzkys discuss the compartmentalization allowing this to happen, as well as what traits the Lakers should target in his replacement. SEGMENT 2: Twelve years by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

36 min listen

Why Laker Fans and L.A. Don't Seem to be Reacting to LeBron James Breaking Records: The Lakers had a busy weekend, winning an inspiring game Friday in Toronto before Saturday in Washington in a most irritating way, one this team has been prone to all year. Bad defensive decisions, questionable coaching, cold and stagnant offense, horrible turnovers and so on. It was a reminder that this team isn't unpopular with fans because they lose - though that obviously doesn't help - but because how they often lose makes these Lakers hard to like. Meanwhile, LeBron James passed Karl Malone for second on the NBA's all time scoring list Saturday... and while obviously people noticed, the reception, particularly locally, hasn't been overwhelming. Is it just because the team is losing? What else is in play, here? It touches on LeBron's tenure in LA, the legacy of Kobe, how we view individual achievement, and more. And as he closes in on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at a time when the Lakers are (at least curr by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

31 min listen

Why Is Rob Pelinka Talking "Pre-Agency" for the Lakers? And Should Dennis Schröder Still Start?: The Lakers will have at least one more game to play without LeBron James, who almost surely will miss Monday's game against Portland, and that shines a light (or a brighter light, to be specific) on the new guys. D'Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt (with Mo Bamba serving the last of his four game suspension) will be needed to help elevate the Lakers past the Blazers -- a team they're chasing in the West. So what changes will they bring? Does the additional shooting from Russell and Beasley, who have averaged seven and eight-plus 3-pointers a game this year on quality percentages, fundamentally alter the team's offense? Nobody left on the roster pushes pace like Russell Westbrook, but at the same time, nobody was a more awkward fit in the team's halfcourt sets, which have been... well, underwhelming throughout the year. Much of Darvin Ham's decision-making around personnel by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

35 min listen

Can the Lakers Get Value in a Russell Westbrook Deal? (Guest: Jovan Buha, Part II): In Part I of our conversation with Jovan Buha of The Athletic, we covered the LeBron James and Anthony Davis core, how viable it is, and what the Lakers might do to improve the supporting cast around them this summer. Central to that is the future of Russell Westbrook. Part II starts there. First and foremost, Jovan doesn't think the Lakers can bring Westbrook back, at least in a basketball playing capacity. If he's on the roster, the Lakers pay him to stay away. So that leaves a trade. What is realistic? Could the Lakers get Indiana to trade Malcolm Brogdon and Buddy Hield to LA? Would that cost them both of their available first round picks? Would that be worth it? What about the head coach? Whatever identity the team forges moving forward will come, at least in part, from the influence of the guy on the sidelines. Could the Lakers land a big fish like Nick Nurse? What about Quin Snyder or Doc Rivers by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

31 min listen

Rob Pelinka (Mostly) Takes Responsibility for the Lakers' Failures. Is He On The Hot Seat? Guest; Bill Oram: During Vice President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Rob Pelinka's exit interview earlier this week, he presented himself as taking full-throated responsibility for all facets of arguably the worst season in Lakers franchise history. Except, of course, when he refused to offer details as to why exactly Frank Vogel was pretty much the only person taking the fall for this season, despite having the least say in the choices that went south. Or when he presented decisions as stopping with him, but also including Jeanie Buss, Kurt Rambis, Joey Buss, Jesse Buss, etc. Which isn't to say that Pelinka didn't put himself out there as the face of these and future decisions. But as guest Bill Oram of The Athletic wrote in his piece about the somewhat cagey and haughty interview, the man at the top of the executive food chain has officially run out of people to use as a meat shield by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

38 min listen

Can the Lakers Maintain Continuity... and Also Try to Sign Bruce Brown as a Free Agent?: On Tuesday, introducing the team's two draft picks to the local media, Lakers GM Rob Pelinka reiterated the idea the team enters this offseason valuing continuity. They want to keep this core group together, and build on what was accomplished following the trade deadline last season. Of course, continuity can mean a lot of different things, as can core. Some guys are more core than others, right? So who might get left out if the Lakers decide to run it back... mostly? And if they go that direction, do they have a path to better players? Well, on Wednesday reports indicated the Lakers would be very, very interested in Denver's Bruce Brown, were they to free up use of their non-taxpayer midlevel exception, worth a little over $12 million. They'd have plenty of competition, and even getting to a place where an offer could be made would mean parting ways with Malik Beasley and Mo Bamba, and perhaps mor by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

28 min listen

Ham, Atkinson and Stotts: The Lakers Have Three Finalists For Their Head Coaching Position: The coaching search is, by all reports, getting near a conclusion as the Lakers are down to three candidates: Milwaukee assistant coach Darvin Ham, former Portland head coach Terry Stotts, and former Brooklyn head coach Kenny Atkinson. Three very different names, with different qualifications, strengths and weaknesses, and no one candidate sticks out as the obvious choice. Given who is available, it's a reasonable group to narrow down to, but how do the Lakers make the final choice? Should it be the potential of Ham, who has never been a head coach before? Atkinson, who had a successful-if-strange stint with the Nets? Or the safe-and-unsexy Stotts, with a long track record in Portland? So much depends on what kind of team the Lakers want to put together. Can they tailor a roster to the strengths of each guy? Which guy would adapt best to the best team the Lakers can find? And who, exactly, is he by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

31 min listen

How Confident Should Lakers Fans Be In Darvin Ham during the Play-in or Playoffs?: Lakers fans have not necessarily warmed up to Darvin Ham in his first season as Lakers head coach. There have been consistent complaints, mostly about his rotation choices, throughout the season. He has received a lot of flak for what has been an inconsistent, often wildly frustrating season. On the other hand, to say the man has been dealt an imperfect hand would be a colossal understatement. He started the year with a mismatched roster that became even more mismatched at different points thanks to significant injuries to LeBron James and Anthony Davis. He's dealt with the whole Russell Westbrook thing, which was no picnic, and managed to make it work about as well as it could. From a buy in standpoint, Ham has done good work. And as the roster improved, lo and behold, so has the team's performance. So how good a coach has Ham been, and could he be the reason the Lakers win or (in the eyes of fans, more by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

33 min listen

NBA Trade Deadline Day: Why the Lakers Did Nothing, What Comes Next, and Reviewing the Big Trades: It was always the most likely outcome, based on the assets they had to offer teams around the league, that the Lakers would ultimately do little-to-nothing on Thursday's NBA Trade Deadline day. And that's what happened. While blockbusters abounded around the Association, the Lakers were silent. Not even a minor move to clear a roster spot. Why? What does it say about the state of the team and the franchise that a decent trade to help improve a flailing squad was unattainable? What does it mean for the rest of this season, and then the offseason? What about the buyout market? Is there any chance the Lakers can make a real improvement when veterans start hitting the free agent market after their contracts are bought out? Maybe, but don't hold your breath. 1, buyout guys generally don't have much impact regardless of what team they join. 2, this crop of available players could be pretty thin by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

33 min listen

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Report: The Lakers Will Empower Darvin Ham as their New Coach!

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