Lakers News: Following the Timberwolves’ defeat, fans are demanding that Darvin Ham be fired.
Expectations are natural when you back what is perhaps the most successful NBA team in the history of the league.
Supporters of the Los Angeles Lakers are used to seeing their teams play at the greatest level. We’re discussing the eras of Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Wilt Chamberlain, James Worthy, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, and, most recently, LeBron James.
This year’s squad was anticipated to at least return to the Western Conference Finals after winter retooling. That aim is by no means a given, based on what we’ve seen so far this year.
Moreover, supporters of the Purple and Gold are not too pleased with head coach Darvin Ham right now, criticizing everything from his strange judgments about the starting lineup to his play calling during timeouts. This dissatisfaction extends to the fickle world of social media platforms.
The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Lakers on Saturday night, 108-106. As of right now, LA is 17-16 and ranked ninth in the Western Conference. This is just not acceptable for a club that wants to win a championship.
It’s common for a scapegoat to emerge anytime a team performs below expectations. In this instance, Ham is the target of the fan base’s ire. Throughout the whole season, LeBron James has remained healthy. And he’s performing at a very high caliber.
This season, one fan argued for a quite unconventional course of action:
Another fan is appealing to majority owner Jeanie Buss instead of Ham’s immediate employer, club president Rob Pelinka:
Fans on Twitter and X jumped at the chance to use LeBron James’s recorded comment about an ATO play as evidence that Ham ought to be fired.
Usually, Anthony Davis takes the brunt of angry supporters. The main source of his dissatisfaction is generally because he can’t remain on the floor for extended periods of time. Well, Davis’s health has been excellent during the whole year. In addition to leading the league in minutes played, his stats (25.2 PPG, 12.4 RPG, and 2.5 BPG) are All-Star caliber.
The term “FIRE HAM” gained popularity on X after the team’s defeat to Minnesota. Because of his composed, hands-in-his-pockets style while watching from the sidelines, Ham has unjustly become a meme for many people.
Taking a closer look at the squad as a whole, some have expressed frustration with Ham’s rotational decisions. Others have bemoaned the offense’s lack of mobility.
It will be fascinating to see whether this group can make a difference. It’s expected that a deal will occur in the next weeks. By year’s end, Ham might find itself in “hot seat” zone if a trade doesn’t help turn things around.
Jason Fray
AUTHOR JASON FRAY
Jason Fray is a proud Los Angeles native. He wrote for many sites after graduating from UCLA in 2011, including as Bleacher Report, FOX Sports, Saturday Down South, and New Arena. In his spare time, he likes to write screenplays, see live performances, play pub trivia every week with the guys, explore the greatest hidden restaurants in the area, and travel to 22 countries and counting.
