Who are the Lakers Head Coaching Finalist?
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According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and the Athletics Shams Charania, the Los Angeles Lakers have made progress towards hiring a new head coach this offseason. The reported finalist are Bucks assistant coach Darvin Ham, Warriors assistant coach Kenny Atkinson, and former Trailblazers head coach Terry Stotts. Although hiring one of these candidates does not guarantee a successful season next year, the Lakers are heading in the right direction by adding a new head coach to lead this franchise.
Now, who are Darvin Ham, Terry Stotts, and Kenny Atkinson you may ask? Here is a head coach profile preview into why each finalist is a contender to become the next head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Note: These names are not ordered by preference or by who should be the next head coach.
Darvin Ham
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Entering as the unknown name of the three candidates, Darvin Ham is a finalist that not too many fans will recognize unless you are a fan of the Milwaukee Bucks or someone who is knowledgable of NBA coaches and their assistants. So as Darvin will go unnoticed or not be given the same support compared to the other two candidates. There are strong attributes to like about Darvin besides him being an assistant coach for the Milwaukee Bucks and his opportunity to coach Giannis Antetokounmpo. Per Shams Charania’s report, Darvin’s connection with the players, leadership, and competitive mindset left a “strong impression” on the Lakers organization.
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After a decent tenure as an NBA player, highlighted by being a member of the 2004 NBA champion Detroit Pistons. Ham in 2008 retired and began coaching in the G-league for the then Albuquerque/New Mexico Thunderbirds (2008-2011). It was not until later that same year that he became an assistant under Mike Brown with the Los Angeles Lakers (2011-2013) coaching the likes of Kobe Bryant. However, after his short stint in Los Angeles, Ham joined Mike Budenholzer at Atlanta and then Milwaukee, ultimately winning the 2021 NBA championship.
Earning very much the respect of the players and his peers. One moment that embodied that occurred this season involving Ham’s role in Milwaukee’s acquisition of DeMarcus Cousins. As Bucks' front office flew Darvin out to lead Cousins in a tough workout. Testing not only his drive but his ability to play at a high level. Which would later pay dividends, as DeMarcus became a solid contributor off the bench. Even though, he only played 17 games and started five for Milwaukee, and was later waived. DeMarcus would ultimately reunite with Mike Malone in Denver where he would flourish under the Nuggets system.
Although both franchises are different, without Ham and Bucks taking a chance on DeMarcus, who knows if DeMarcus would have had the same success he had this season.
If the Lakers were to hire Darvin Ham, it would bring once again a new and fresh face to the organization however when hiring a rookie head coach, then leaves questions of uncertainty, what culture will he establish, what is his gameplan (Use of Lebron and AD) will be, and lastly his ability to handle the expectations and pressure that comes with being the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers from the media, players, and fans.
Kenny Atkinson
As the second most known finalist, Kenny Atkinson is one of the highly touted assistants and great minds of the game due to his coaching experience and teams he has been with since resigning as the Brooklyn Nets head coach back in 2019-2020 before the NBA bubble.
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As another former player who primarily played internationally in his career. Kenny Atkinson has both the knowledge of the European and the modern NBA style of basketball.
However, focusing on his coaching career in the NBA, Kenny Atkinson first started as an assistant under Mike D’Antoni with the Knicks in 2008. In 2012, Atkinson became an assistant with the Hawks under Mike Budenholzer. Garnering much attention after the Hawks’ success in the Eastern Conference. Earning him the head coaching position with the Nets where they improved year by year ultimately making the 2018-2019 NBA playoffs where they lost in the first round to the Philadelphia 76ers. After resigning in 2019-2020, he became an assistant for pacific division rivals the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors.
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If Kenny Atkinson were to be hired as the next head coach, the Lakers organization and fans would be getting a passionate coach, a smart basketball mind, someone who has helped a franchise grow from missing to making the playoffs, and an individual who has learned from two outstanding coaches and division rivals. It will be interesting to see what Atkinson has learned and how he will showcase his knowledge but overall there should be concerns about how he will be able to handle a star-studded team once again.
Terry Stotts
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Most known for his head coaching tenure with Portland Trailblazers, Terry Stotts is the candidate most Lakers fans may know or lean towards hiring because of what he brought to Trailblazers (made the playoffs seven out of eight years, two northwest division titles, and one trip to the western conference finals). As well as his help in developing stars Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum.
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Prior to coaching the Portland Trailblazers, Terry Stotts had one playoff berth and several assistant coaching jobs around the NBA. However, it wasn’t till his tenure with the Mavericks that he would begin to gain recognition after the team’s title run and organization of one of the league’s most efficient offenses.
Securing an opportunity to coach the rebuilding Portland Trailblazers and revitalize them into a playoff contender year by year. Although he did reach every round of the Western Conference playoffs, his team just could not get over the mountain that was the Golden State Warriors and many other contending franchises during that eight-year run.
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If Terry Stotts were to be hired as the head coach, the pressure for him to succeed will be at an all-time level because of his success in Portland and failure to not reach the NBA finals when he had prime Damian Lillard, an elite scorer in CJ McCollum, and a supporting cast that were equipped to compete for a for NBA championship.
Overall, no matter who Jeanie Buss and Rob Plenkia hire as head of the Los Angeles Lakers, the individual in charge will an immense amount of pressure on them to succeed with an aging Lebron James, injury-prone Anthony Davis, and an incomplete roster heading into next season.
All I ask is that the next head coach makes the right decisions and facilitates a game plan that showcases the player’s strengths and is balanced both offensively and defensively.
