Lakers part ways with coach Darvin Ham after disappointing playoff run

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Darvin Ham's job security was under fire in the days following the Los Angeles Lakers' early exit from the NBA playoffs. The defending champion Denver Nuggets needed just five games to knock the Lakers out of the postseason.

After Monday's loss, many began speculating that Ham had coached his last game with the Lakers. On Friday, the Lakers made it official, by announcing that the team had parted ways with him after two seasons.

The move comes as four-time NBA champion LeBron James weighs his future. James was noncommittal earlier this week when he was asked whether he would return to Los Angeles for the 2024-25 season. "I’m not going to answer that," James told reporters after the 108-106 loss to Denver.

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Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham reacts during the second half of Game 2 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets on Monday, April 22, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Whomever the Lakers end up selecting as the franchise's next head coach, that person will have to maximize the final chapter of Ham's storied career — if he decides to stay with the purple and gold. 

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Tyronne Lue and J.J. Redick's names have recently been floated as possible top contenders for the Lakers head coaching job, according to a report from ESPN. Lue and Redick both have ties to James. Lue coached James and the Cleveland Cavaliers to an NBA championship, while Redick is James' podcast co-host.

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Despite having two years left on his contract, the Lakers