Los Angeles Lakers Fire Darvin Ham After Just Two Seasons

Are you looking to land a job as an NBA head coach? You can now send your application to the Los Angeles Lakers.

On Friday, the recently-eliminated franchise announced that they had fired head coach Darvin Ham after just two years at the helm. Despite leading the Lakers to playoff appearances in back-to-back seasons, general manager Rob Pelinka said it would be best for the team to move on without him.

"We greatly appreciate Darvin's efforts on behalf of the Lakers and recognize the many accomplishments achieved over the past two seasons including last year's remarkable run to the Western Conference Finals," Pelinka said. "We all want to thank Darvin for his dedication and positivity. While this was a difficult decision to make, it is the best course of action following a full review of the season. This organization will remain unwavering in its commitment to deliver championship-caliber basketball to Lakers fans around the world."

Darvin Ham is on the hunt for a new job. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Ham nearly brought a title to Southern California last season, helping the Lakers make a shock run to the Western Conference Finals. However, they were swept by the eventual champions, the Denver Nuggets, and the Lakers also lost to Denver in the first round of this year’s playoffs in five games.

But what really brought about Ham’s departure, according to CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn, was a series of confusing lineup decisions over the past year. This led a lot of players to doubt whether Ham was suited for the job, which in turn created a level of dysfunction between players and coach.

The next coach to lead the Lakers will have a solid roster to work with, but will have the challenge of making Los Angeles a force to be reckoned with in an increasingly strong Western Conference.