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The LA Lakers are looking to get back on track this season, and the hope is that Darvin Ham will be the coach to accomplish that. Ham was hired in June after a successful run as an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks.
With a couple of roster tweaks, the thought is that a healthy squad and new coach will be enough to get the Lakers back on the right trajectory. On "The Herd," analyst Colin Cowherd stressed caution:
"I was just talking about this to somebody in the league recently ... for Darvin Ham, this is a rough first job. You've got a lot of agendas, a lot of age, a lot of injuries, a lot of uncertainty, no bench, not a lot of versatile wing defenders, not a lot of shooters."
The Lakers were one of the league's most disappointing teams last year.
After acquiring veteran Russell Westbrook in an offseason trade with the Washington Wizards, the Lakers thought they'd be a force in the Western Conference. That hope turned to dust and the Lakers went on to finish 33-49, good for 11th in the West.
Darvin Ham looks to get the LA Lakers back on track
A new head coach could be just what the doctor ordered for the LA Lakers. It's not going to be easy for Darvin Ham and the Lakers as the Western Conference has continued to get tougher.
One of the team's biggest concerns has already been resolved, as LeBron James reportedly agreed to an extension on Wednesday. But there are still plenty of questions surrounding the depth and supporting cast. Although Anthony Davis remains one of the league's most unique two-way bigs, his injury history has been a problem.
Russell Westbrook's rapid decline of play from last season also requires monitoring. If he struggles early, the team could be forced to make some drastic changes before it's too late.
The final year of the new contract for James, who will turn 38 in late December, is a player option in 2024-25. That would be his 22nd season. Only one player, Vince Carter, has made 22 NBA seasons.
As it is, James is entering his 20th season, and only eight players have played in at least 20 seasons. This year, he'll tie Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Jamal Crawford at 20 seasons.
