Sports Media Mogul Exposes Kevin Durant and LeBron James’ Long Trail of Casualties After Darvin Ham & Frank Vogel Firing

The head coaches in the NBA seem to have a hard time finding something like a regular place in a team. Many find themselves falling out of their jobs except for a handful, for example, Steve Kerr and Gregg Popovich. It would seem particularly true when superstars LeBron James and Kevin Durant are involved. It doesn’t really help that Bron is labeled as the Coach Killer either.

With all that’s happening in the Lakers and the 4x champion’s life, podcaster and CEO/Founder of The Ringer, Bill Simmons, has a few extra facts to add to the narrative. Or rather, a few numbers. “LeBron and KD have had 10 coaches combined since Game 1 of the 2018 Finals… and that number is about to jump to 12,” the 54-year-old tweeted. The latest in the saga were none other than Darvin Ham after two seasons at the Lakers, and Frank Vogel after just one Suns season.

If we rolled back the timeline Simmons mentioned, here’s a list of coaches LeBron and Durant have gone through.

• LeBron James – Ty Lue, Luke Walton, Frank Vogel, and Darvin Ham
• Kevin Durant – Steve Kerr, Kenny Atkinson, Steve Nash, Jacque Vaughn, Monty Williams, and Frank Vogel

Well, if we were going by numbers, then the ‘Slim Reaper’ certainly takes the cake. Funnily, it seems like the 14x All-Star can add Coach Reaper to his nicknames, as well. Yet, the two are tied for individual records. Both KD and James have had nine coaches in their entire career.

Seeing as how both Phoenix and Los Angeles have got to find a new coach for the upcoming season, make that 10. For now, let’s look at who the brave hero will be who takes the daunting role of HC in the Lakers.

Who will likely be the next to take on the challenging assignment of coaching LeBron James-led Lakers?

Rumors, theories, and hypotheses regarding LeBron James and his future have been floating around since the man entered his 21st year. With Los Angeles’ season ending early, they once again picked up speed. Perhaps what everyone is most curious about is whether the ‘Akron Hammer’ will continue staying with the Purple & Gold. For now, though, the franchise is hopeful of keeping together the dynamic duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

As such, we might also see a third star alongside the pair in the 2024-25 season. Although this season’s been the most (147 games) the two have played in their five years, the team barely managed to stay in the game. Considering how West teams like the Timberwolves, Thunder, Pelicans, Spurs, and more young teams are on the rise, the Lakers will need all the help they can get.

Frontrunners for the Los Angeles franchise’s coaching position are the Clippers’ coach, Ty Lue, and ESPN analyst and podcaster, JJ Redick. Lue and Bron have a history going back to the 2016 NBA Finals. The two won the title that year with the Cavaliers. Redick, for his part, is the co-host of L-Train’s Mind the Game podcast. Not to mention, the former sharpshooter has been on the lookout for a coaching job for quite some time now.

The Lakers are tied with Boston for the most rings in NBA history. If the Cs do bring it home this season, they will have their 18th title. And that won’t be a good look on a team with the ‘Chosen One’. Hence, regardless of who the front office might hire, the goal remains the same- to contend for championships.