Category: Los Angeles Lakers

Charles Barkley Has Simple Reason for Wanting LeBron James to Retire Soon
6 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Charles Barkley Has Simple Reason for Wanting LeBron James to Retire Soon

As Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James mulls an uncertain future, there's one respected NBA voice who hopes he decides to call it quits soon.

TNT analyst, Inside the NBA personality and Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, during an appearance on former NFL star and ESPN analyst Shannon Sharpe's podcast Club Shay Shay this past Wednesday, explained why he hopes James, who left his future up in the air following the Lakers' elimination from the playoffs this past week, announces his retirement sooner rather than later.

"I hope he retires soon because I hated the way I retired," Barkley said.

Barkley, to the amusement of Sharpe, then recalled his own realization of when it was time to stop playing professional basketball.

"I remember telling myself my last two years, 'Ok, I'm going to get myself in great shape, I'm going to have a good year, then I'm going to retire.'" "Then I figured out, like, playing against air... Everybody is good against air. Everybody is great against air," Barkley said, going on to explain that he just couldn't compete against younger players anymore.

Barkley finally explained that he hopes James "retires while he can still play."

James, who will turn 40 in December, declined to answer when asked about his plans for the 2024-25 season following the Lakers' loss to the Denver Nuggets last week. The four-time NBA champion surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the NBA's all-time scoring list during the 2022-23 season, then proceeded to average 25.7 points, 8.3 assists and 7.3 rebounds per game while shooting 54 percent from the field in 71 games played this season.

In short, James is still playing at a very high level. But Barkley's comments are undoubtedly food for thought for the Akron, Ohio native.

Charles Barkley, LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA
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Cavaliers Rally Past Magic to Win First Playoff Series Without LeBron James in Over Three Decades
5 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Cavaliers Rally Past Magic to Win First Playoff Series Without LeBron James in Over Three Decades

To tell the story of the Cleveland Cavaliers is—with a few exceptions—to tell the story of now-Los Angeles Lakers and former Cavaliers forward LeBron James. The NBA's longtime leading scorer was the architect of all five of the team's conference titles and every one of their playoff series wins since 1993...

...until Sunday. After going down by 18 during a nightmarish first half, Cleveland rallied past the Orlando Magic 106-94 to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Boston Celtics.

Guard Donovan Mitchell paced the Cavaliers with 39 points, nine rebounds and five assists, while forward Paolo Banchero tallied 38 points and 16 rebounds in defeat.

The last time Cleveland advanced in a playoffs without James, it defeated the New Jersey Nets three games to two in a best-of-five first round series—losing to guard Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the conference semifinals.

The Magic led the Cavaliers 49-31 with 4:17 left in the first half. Orlando's blown lead is the largest in a Game 7 since the NBA began tracking play-by-play data in 1997.

Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA, Orlando Magic
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Clippers 'Determined' to Sign Ty Lue to Contract Extension Amid Lakers Rumors, per Report
3 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Clippers ‘Determined’ to Sign Ty Lue to Contract Extension Amid Lakers Rumors, per Report

Los Angeles Clippers coach Tyronn Lue likely won't be going anywhere this offseason.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Friday that the Clippers are focused on offering Lue a long-term contract extension this summer. That report arrived one day after Lue was named a potential candidate to replace the fired Darvin Ham as the Los Angeles Lakers' next head coach.

"The Clippers are determined to do a long-term deal with Ty Lue, I'm told," Wojnarowski said on NBA Today Friday. "They want him to be their coach for a very long time. ... They love the job that he's done there."

The Clippers will work toward a new deal with Lue this summer after their playoff run is over, per Wojnarowski. Los Angeles is facing elimination from playoff contention Friday, as they trail the Dallas Mavericks 3–2 in their first-round series entering Game 6 at American Airlines Center.

Lue, who won an NBA championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016, has registered a 184–134 record over four seasons as the Clippers' head coach. The Clippers have advanced past the first round of the playoffs just once under his watch, losing to the Phoenix Suns in the 2021 Western Conference finals.

If he and the Clippers parted ways, Lue was reported to be a candidate to serve as the Lakers' next coach along with former NBA player JJ Redick and coaching veterans Mike Budenholzer and Kenny Atkinson.

It appears Lue will be opening the 2024–25 NBA season at the new Intuit Dome in Inglewood instead of donning purple and gold at Crypto.com Arena.

Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Tyronn Lue
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Lakers Firing Coach Darvin Ham Led to NBA Fans Posting Endless Memes
3 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Lakers Firing Coach Darvin Ham Led to NBA Fans Posting Endless Memes

The Los Angeles Lakers officially will begin their search for a new head coach after parting ways with Darvin Ham on Friday after two seasons.

Ham, who reportedly had two years remaining on his contract, led the Lakers to a 90–74 record over two seasons and guided the team to the Western Conference finals last year.

However, Ham was often criticized by Lakers fans throughout his tenure for constantly tinkering with starting lineups and rotations amid the team's shortcomings. Los Angeles fell well short of competing for an NBA title this season, finishing with the Western Conference's seventh-bet record and losing to the Denver Nuggets in the first round.

It was no surprise, then, when Ham's dismissal resulted in an avalanche of reactions and memes posted to social media:

The Lakers reportedly will target Mike Budenholzer, Kenny Atkinson, JJ Redick and—if he becomes available—Ty Lue, among others, to fill their coaching vacancy.

Darvin Ham, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA
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How Darvin Ham Stacks Up in Lakers' Coaching History
3 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

How Darvin Ham Stacks Up in Lakers’ Coaching History

The Los Angeles Lakers fired coach Darvin Ham on Friday. The decision comes three days after the franchise was eliminated in the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs by the defending champion Denver Nuggets.

While it is no great shame to lose to Nikola Jokić and a very good Nuggets team, Ham was on the hot seat all season long due to some questionable coaching decisions, especially in regards to the starting lineup. Paired with the sky-high expectations that come with coaching a LeBron James-led outfit, the change is not entirely shocking.

The Lakers will now begin the search for the 29th head coach in franchise history. Before looking ahead, however, it is important to look back and contextualize Ham's tenure at the helm. How does he stack up to his counterparts throughout franchise history?

Lakers' Coaching History

With his dismissal on Friday, Ham will officially finish his Lakers career boasting a regular season record of 90–74. His 90 wins put him 14th all-time in franchise history, more than Mike D'Antoni but fewer than Joe Mullaney. The all-time leader in Lakers history is— you guessed it— Phil Jackson, who recorded 610 victories in his dominant years with the franchise.

Ham's 164 games coached from the bench puts him in a five-way tie for 10th in Lakers franchise history. The other coaches with 164 games exactly under their belt are the aforementioned Mullaney, Butch van Breda Kolff, Mike Dunleavy Sr., and Byron Scott. For fans of HBO's Winning Time, Paul Westhead is next on the list with 161 games coached. The all-time leader for the organization in this category is, once again, Jackson with 902 games coached.

In terms of winning percentage, Ham will finish his time in Los Angeles clocking in at .549. That ranks 19th all-time in Lakers history, ahead of Randy Pfund (.452) and behind Rudy Tomjanovich (.558). Technically speaking, the franchise leader in winning percentage is Bernie Bickerstaff, who went 4–1 back in 2013 and thus owns an even .800 winning percentage. However, among coaches with more than 10 games coached, Pat Riley leads with .733.

Ham's playoff record is not quite as flattering in the light of the giants who came before him, although he did avoid the ignominy of becoming the 11th coach in Lakers history to not coach a single playoff game. His 21 postseason appearances are good for 12th all-time, but his 9–12 record (a winning percentage of .429) slots him 13th. Jackson leads all Lakers coaches with 118 playoff wins but Riley won at a better clip, posting a winning percentage of .685 during his tenure.

As the numbers suggest, Ham had a fine run as head coach of the Lakers. It was not drenched in glory but it also wasn't drenched in failure. A decidedly average tenure, and one that came to an end on Friday.

Darvin Ham, LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA
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Two New Candidates Emerge in Lakers' Search to Replace Darvin Ham
3 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Two New Candidates Emerge in Lakers’ Search to Replace Darvin Ham

The Los Angeles Lakers officially parted ways with head coach Darvin Ham on Friday, and an "extensive" coaching search is set to begin. While Ty Lue and JJ Redick were known as potential targets before Ham was even got the axe, we now know of two more names added to the list.

A report from Jovan Buha and Shams Charania at The Athletic names former Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer and former Brooklyn Nets head man Kenny Atkinson on the shortlist.

Budenholzer led the Milwaukee Bucks to an NBA championship in 2021 but was fired two seasons later after failing to reach those heights again. In five seasons with Milwaukee, Budenholzer went 271-120 (.693) and led the Bucks to five consecutive Central Division titles. He had mixed playoff success though, as they only reached the conference finals twice, and bowed out before that point three times. He was dismissed following a first round exit in 2023.

Before his time in Milwaukee, Budenholzer was head coach of the Atlanta Hawks for five seasons, posting a record of 213-197 (.520). He took them to the playoffs in four of his five seasons.

Budenholzer has won a championship and has taken his teams to the postseason in nine of his 10 seasons as a head coach. He has twice been named NBA Coach of the Year (2015 and 2019) and won four championships as an assistant under Gregg Popovich with the San Antonio Spurs. The 54-year-old has a proven track record of success, but his postseason decision-making has long been an issue.

Atkinson has been an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors for the past three seasons, after spending the 2020-21 campaign as an assistant for the Los Angeles Clippers. His only head coaching experience came with the Brooklyn Nets from 2016 to 2020 and he didn't put up great results while working with a depleted roster.

The Nets went 118-190 (.383) in three-plus seasons under Atkinson. They made the postseason in 2019 with a 42-40 record but were bounced from the opening round of the playoffs in five games by the Philadelphia 76ers. He stepped down as head coaching late in the 2019-20 season. Atkinson actually accepted a deal to become head coach of the Charlotte Hornets in 2022 after helping the Warriors to an NBA title. He ultimately backed out and returned to the Warriors.

A lot of eyes will be on the Lakers' coaching search. The end of LeBron James' career is rapidly approaching. If the franchise wants to get him a final shot at a championship, it will have to nail this hire.

Kenny Atkinson, Los Angeles Lakers, Mike Budenholzer
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Darvin Ham's Contract With Lakers Had Multiple Years Left
3 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Darvin Ham’s Contract With Lakers Had Multiple Years Left

The Los Angeles Lakers will be led by the eighth different coach since 2010-11 next year, as the team fired Darvin Ham on Friday.

Ham led the Lakers through troubled waters to start the year to qualify for the NBA Play-In Tournament only to ultimately lose to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the postseason.

Earlier in the year, the Lakers won the inaugural In-Season Tournament, but the Lakers went 3–10 in the games following that victory.

The Lakers under Ham made it to the Western Conference finals in his debut season with the team in 2022-23.

Ham, for his part, will get his paychecks from the Lakers for the foreseeable future even if his team facilities badge is denied access.

Ham was fired with two full years left on his contract. He signed a four-year deal at $5 million per year according to The Athletic, and the team will "assume" that, according to the report.

The now-former Lakers head coach's contract was on the smaller side of NBA coaches. Steve Kerr gets $17.5 million annually, Gregg Popovich earns a $16 million salary, and Erik Spoelstra is paid $15 million. It's unclear if the relative bargain Los Angeles had Ham played into their decision to move on and hire a new leader.

Ham is now free to pursue other opportunities in the coaching ranks, whether that be at the head coaching or assistant ranks, a capacity in which he worked for several seasons before being hired by the Lakers.

Darvin Ham, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA
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Lakers Dismiss Coach Darvin Ham After Two Seasons, per Report
3 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Lakers Dismiss Coach Darvin Ham After Two Seasons, per Report

The Los Angeles Lakers have dismissed coach Darvin Ham after two seasons, according to a report from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Lakers brass made the decision to fire Ham after Los Angeles lost its playoff series to the Denver Nuggets for the second consecutive postseason. Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka informed Ham of the franchise's decision to fire him on Friday afternoon via phone call, according to Wojnarowski.

A report that circulated on Thursday indicated that ESPN NBA analyst JJ Redick, as well as Los Angeles Clippers coach Tyronn Lue would both be in consideration for the job. Both individuals have interesting ties to Lakers star LeBron James. Redick just started a podcast with James called Mind the Game, which is dedicated to the strategy of professional basketball, while Lue coached the Cleveland Cavaliers when James and the franchise won an NBA title in the 2015-16 season.

Ham went 90-74 in his two seasons leading the Lakers, which included a Western Conference finals berth last season, as well as an NBA Cup in the inaugural in-season tournament this season.

Darvin Ham, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers
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JJ Redick, Ty Lue Candidates to Land Lakers Job If Darvin Ham Is Fired, per Report
3 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

JJ Redick, Ty Lue Candidates to Land Lakers Job If Darvin Ham Is Fired, per Report

The Los Angeles Lakers could part ways with coach Darvin Ham this offseason after the team's first-round exit at the hands of the reigning champion Denver Nuggets, who have now bounced Los Angeles from the playoffs in two straight seasons.

Although it's not yet been made official, Ham's exit has been widely speculated upon, and some names have already been floated as possible replacements for the Lakers' potential vacancy.

Among those who are considered "real candidates" include both Tyronn Lue and JJ Redick, according to ESPN's Lakers reporter Dave McMenamin.

"JJ [Redick] certainly is a real candidate if they do open up this coaching search," McMenamin said Thursday during an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show. "There's, I'd say, half a dozen folks out there, including possibly the guy who just lost last night against the Mavericks, Tyronn Lue ... that there will be a process there that there are several viable candidates that will get an interview."

McMenamin noted that Ham had not yet met with the Los Angeles front office regarding his future, so there's still no guarantee that he won't be brought back for the 2024-25 season.

Redick, of course, recently started a podcast with Lakers superstar LeBron James dubbed Mind the Game, where the pair break down the X's and O's of basketball together.

It's clear that James holds him in high regard, so if a vacancy does open up, it stands to reason that Redick, who has reportedly interviewed for the Charlotte Hornets' vacancy, would be a realistic Lakers candidate.

Darvin Ham, JJ Redick, LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, Tyronn Lue
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Magic Johnson Apologizes to Fans for Wrongly Placing Blame on Lakers' Struggles
2 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Magic Johnson Apologizes to Fans for Wrongly Placing Blame on Lakers’ Struggles

Magic Johnson regrets a social media post he sent to the internet shortly after the Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

"Laker Nation, I have to apologize to the Lakers organization," Johnson posted to X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday. "It was injuries that plagued the Lakers this season, not load management."

The content on Johnson's social media accounts are known to be almost comically vanilla, but he put that aside Tuesday—the day after the Lakers' season ended—and posted a pair of spicy takes.

Johnson blamed load management for the reason Los Angeles finished with the Western Conference's No. 7 seed and claimed the Nuggets were both mentally and physically tougher in their playoff series.

The Lakers had many issues during the 2023-24 NBA season, but load management probably wasn't a top factor in their struggles. Los Angeles' most common starting five—LeBron James, Anthony Davis, D'Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves and Taurean Prince—all played at least 71 regular-season games.

James dealt with calf and ankle issues and missed 11 games. Role player Jarred Vanderbilt missed the last three months with a foot injury, and Rui Hachimura battled calf issues at times. But Davis played a career-high 76 games, as did Russell—his most since 2018-19—and Reaves played all 82 for the first time in his career.

If it wasn't load management or injury issues that caused the team to fall short of expectations, the Lakers just simply weren't good enough in 2023-24.

Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, Magic Johnson
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