Lakers News: Jeanie Buss’ Grave ‘Mistake’ Threatens Free Agency, as LeBron James’ Stance on Dan Hurley Comes to Light

The Los Angeles Lakers‘ coaching hunt seems to be never-ending. With a lack of potential candidates and a recent rejection from their top suitor, Dan Hurly, letting go of Darvin Ham has started to look like a regrettable decision. Ham’s firing was scrutinized by fans and analysts alike.

Many had come to Darvin’s defense and people wondered whether the fault was really with the coach or with the team instead. Blames were thrown around and LeBron James caught some too. Lou Williams feels that the Lakers made a mistake, that too at the worst possible time.

Was firing Darvin Ham a mistake?

The Lakers fired Darvin Ham earlier in May after two seasons together. The decision came as a shock to many since Ham’s performance had been steady. Former LA Clippers star Lou Williams gave his two cents on ‘Run it Back.’ “Maybe the Lakers made a mistake by letting Darvin Ham go,“ Williams said. “It was very early in his career, very early in his process. Sometimes you gotta allow things to grow, to allow the opportunity to see what you can get out of it.”

He continued, “At this point, you got new guys coming in, veterans waiting around; this can possibly affect your free agency. A lot of guys want stability. Not having this situated in the next few days can be problematic with the free agency.” Williams might be right. No player would want to sign to a team that is all over the place. Are the Lakers in trouble on all ends?

When talks of JJ Redick being a potential candidate picked up speed, fans were quick to jump to conclusions. Many claimed that Redick, who had no prior coaching experience, was only considered because of LeBron. LeBron and Redick are good friends and even run a podcast together; ‘Mind the Game.’ NBA Insider Shams Charania said, “We’ve seen from this process…LeBron James is staying clear from this coaching search.” But the people are not having it.

Is LeBron James the reason for the Lakers’ empty head coach position?

King James has often been called the “coach-killer.” LeBron hasn’t had the best history with his coaches and has often been blamed for their ejections. Fans suggested that LeBron was behind the firing of Frank Vogel, the coach before Ham, but he denied any participation, stating, “I can only control what I can control.”  Similarly, when Ham was fired, many argued that it was because he had tried to cut down on LeBron’s court time.

It doesn’t stop there. Now with Redick in the picture, people are accusing LeBron of playing favorites. But LeBron and his team have time and again cleared the air on this topic. Rich Paul, James’ agent, denied the accusations. “LeBron James and JJ Redick, they do a podcast together. That does not mean that (James) wants Redick as his head coach,” he said.

LeBron’s reputation as a “coach killer” may not be as clear-cut as it seems at first. Even though his demands and strong influence over teams can cause conflict, it’s evident that many of the coaching changes he has seen over his career have been influenced by a variety of factors, including team performance, organizational choices, and larger player-coach dynamics.

Regardless, as the Lakers progress in the off-season, they not only have to worry about replacing Ham but also ensuring stability and consistency. With no head coach in sight, Los Angeles might not look appealing to many.

Now that you’re here, check out this video of Shaq’s former manager, Leonardo Armato praising WNBA star Caitlin Clark.