After firing their head coach, the New Orleans Pelicans are reportedly keeping an eye on Darvin Ham for their new vacancy. That is according to NBA insider Marc Stein (subscription required), who notes that Ham isn't the lone candidate, as Kevin Ollie is also in the mix. Nothing is set in stone, but the Milwaukee Bucks could lose a key part of their coaching staff if these rumors come true.
A second chance is within reach for Darvin Ham
This wouldn't be Ham's first rodeo as a head coach. After serving as one of the most well-respected assistants in the NBA for years, the Los Angeles Lakers hired Ham to lead the show. Prior to that, Ham had gone through dozens of head coaching interviews in prior years, many of which featured multiple rounds of meetings. It felt like he fell just short time and time again, but he finally got his chance in LA.
Things didn't go as well as the team had hoped, but the Lakers did win the In-Season Tournament and reach the Western Conference Finals under Ham's guidance.
Ham wasn't perfect, but LA's roster wasn't either. The top-heavy trio of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook largely didn't mesh in the games they played together. Even after a busy trade deadline, the Lakers were still an ill-fitting roster. After falling short to the Denver Nuggets in back-to-back trips to the playoffs, Ham was fired and returned to Milwaukee.
Even with how things ended in Los Angeles, it was only a matter of time before Ham's name started floating in coaching rumors once again. He's always been well-respected and has the hardware to back it up. Notably, Ham is someone players love. As a former player, he knows the grind, and that's why he works so well on Doc Rivers' staff.
Losing him would be a blow, but it would be reasonable for Ham to take another head coaching gig. Now, he has more experience and could be better-suited to lead a squad.
If Ham were to depart, it could open the door for Rajon Rondo to take on a larger role on Rivers' staff. Quietly, the guard, who has a small role on the sidelines, has been an impactful piece, particularly to the team's point guards. If he were up for it, Rondo could see increased responsibility as he provides assistance to his former head coach in Boston.
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