"He's gonna have to make those three guys work together" - Shaquille O'Neal shares his thoughts on LA Lakers' new coach Darvin Ham

Darvin Ham could bring big changes to the Lakers. [Image via Getty Images]
Darvin Ham could bring big changes to the Lakers. [Image via Getty Images]

The LA Lakers have had some very disappointing results in the past two years. Ever since they won it all in 2020, the Lakers have failed to make a deep playoff run.

In 2021, they were eliminated in the first round by the Phoenix Suns. Last season, they couldn't even reach the final play-in spot as they only won 33 games.

LeBron James, despite his injuries, was amazing and was one of the stop scorers in the entire league. Unfortunately, Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis did not help him much.

The Lakers now have a new head coach in Darvin Ham, and he is excited to see what he can bring to the table.

Darvin Ham could make big things happen in Los Angeles

After a second straight disappointing season, the LA Lakers fired Frank Vogel and replaced him with Darvin Ham. This will be Ham's first job as a head coach, but he is definitely experienced enough for the job.

After all, Ham has won two championship rings so far in his career. He won it for the first time as a player with the Detroit Pistons. The second time, he was an assistant coach for the 2021 Milwaukee Bucks.

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Shaquille O'Neal, a former Lakers player, believes that Darvin Ham will have to make the roster work. When asked what the Lakers' ceiling is with Ham, this is what the NBA legend had to say:

"I wish him well. I have known him for a while. He definitely has big shoes to fill. This is something we were not expecting with the caliber of players that they have on the team.
"I thought they would at least get a coach with championship experience. I wish him well and know he will have to make those three guys work together and hopefully they can make the playoffs at least."

Shaq also clarified that he is not at liberty to say what Darvin Ham can or cannot do, but that he hopes he has success with his new job.

The job will be difficult

Making the three star players fit together will definitely be very difficult. While everyone expects LeBron James to have another great season, Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis may not contribute enough once again.

Most NBA fans expect the Lakers to trade Westbrook. However, considering how huge his contract is, this could be almost an impossible task.

On the other hand, Anthony Davis missed 42 games last season. His injury problems have been a big reason why the Lakers haven't been successful. He will have to stay healthy for the team to advance to the playoffs and win another championship.

Getting a new head coach may not be enough for the Lakers. The game of basketball has drastically changed and they will have to get versatile players who can both defend and score from long range. If they don't do this, it won't be surprising if they miss the playoffs again.

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