If Lakers Move On From Darvin Ham, They Could Look at Recent College Coach

The Los Angeles Lakers have been incredibly inconsistent all season long, causing frustration throughout the organization. On any given night, the Lakers can look like the best team in the league, and on others, they seem disinterested in being on the court.

It has hurt them in the standings and caused potential issues in the locker room. Head coach Darvin Ham has come under fire for much of the season, when just last year, he helped lead this franchise to the Western Conference Finals. 

Ham's lack of in-game adjustments and seeming regression as a coach have led many to believe that he will be let go once the season concludes. Essentially, unless the Lakers go on another magical run in the postseason, Ham's time with the Lakers may be over. 

This has led to much speculation about who could take his place if the team were to move on. Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka would be tasked with finding a new leading man and he could look to someone from his past.

That would be former University of Michigan head coach Juwan Howard. Howard was just let go by the Wolverines following a poor season, but he and Pelinka were teammates together in college.

The former Michigan head coach spent five seasons with the Wolverines. He helped get them to the Elite Eight in 2020-2021 and Sweet Sixteen in 2021-2022, but the last two seasons have been rough. Michigan missed the tournament last year and went 8-24 this season, leading to his departure. 

Howard was mainly a role player during his time playing in the NBA but did make one All-Star team. He also won two NBA titles in 2012 and 2013, playing alongside LeBron James with the Miami Heat.

The Lakers already tried to hire Howard once, right before they landed Ham. He turned down the opportunity because he believed that it wasn't a good opportunity for him. Los Angeles never made an offer, but if Howard had reciprocated interest in the job, the two sides would have likely started to talk more intensely. 

It remains to be seen if the Lakers will move on from Ham, but the Howard connection won't be going away. He could be an option for the Lakers due to his connection with Pelinka and James.