The head coach’s seat of the Los Angeles Lakers is shaking heavily following their defeat to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the NBA Playoffs 2024. After bidding farewell to the NBA Playoffs with a Game 5 loss against the defending champions Denver Nuggets, all attention and pressure are now focused on the hot seat occupied by head coach Darvin Ham.

Speculation about the Lakers parting ways with Ham has been circulating throughout the season. With the team’s early elimination from this year’s postseason, discussions about Ham’s position have once again taken center stage among the fan community.

The Los Angeles Lakers’ decision to potentially part ways with Ham, despite having two years remaining on his contract, is being heavily debated. According to reputable journalists Shams Charania, Sam Amick, and Lakers insider Jovan Buha of The Athletic, Ham’s seat is currently experiencing significant instability.

“The Lakers’ disappointing end to the playoffs has put Darvin Ham’s future in uncertainty. Some close sources suggest that it is highly unlikely for Ham to return as the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers next season,” wrote the journalists from The Athletic. “The team will thoroughly evaluate everything, including the weaknesses and instability of the past season, before making a final decision. In 2022, Darvin Ham signed a four-year contract with a salary of $5 million per season.”

If the decision is made to terminate Ham’s contract early, the team is prepared to compensate him for the remaining two years, The Athletic further reported.

ESPN, another reputable news outlet, also published a similar report, quoting expert Dave McMenamin, who stated, “Losing to the Denver Nuggets twice in consecutive playoffs, especially in the first round this time, has put Darvin Ham’s position in jeopardy. The decision to retain or dismiss him will be made in the coming days after the team evaluates the situation.”In the past two seasons, Head Coach Darvin Ham has achieved certain success with the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite needing to win the play-in series in both years to secure a spot in the NBA Playoffs, Ham and his team reached the Western Conference Finals in the previous year. They convincingly defeated strong teams like the Memphis Grizzlies (the 2nd seed in the Western Conference) and Stephen Curry’s Golden State Warriors.

In the 2023-24 season, the Los Angeles Lakers became the first champions of the NBA In-Season Tournament, a newly introduced cup competition with an exciting elimination format. However, their performance declined after winning the tournament, and they entered the All-Star break with a poor streak before regaining their form towards the end of the regular season, winning 12 out of 15 games to secure a spot in the play-in tournament.

LeBron James and his teammates defeated the New Orleans Pelicans to become the 7th seed. With the fate of the top 3 Western Conference teams being decided in the final games of the regular season, the Lakers faced the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.

At this point, the question about Darvin Ham’s coaching role became most apparent, as the Los Angeles Lakers led in all five games of the series but ultimately lost. This stretch of games included Game 2 on the road, where the Lakers held a 20-point advantage but suffered a bitter defeat due to Jamal Murray’s buzzer-beating game-winner.

Games 4 and 5 showed a more positive image of the purple and gold team. However, it was too late as history once again confirmed that no team can come back from a 0-3 deficit in the NBA Playoffs.

“From this seat, I have learned and gained a lot in the past two years. I will strive to improve myself and focus on things that I can control. I am always grateful for every day I have coached a team with such a rich tradition as the Los Angeles Lakers,” shared Head Coach Darvin Ham after the Game 5 loss of the Los Angeles Lakers.