Following the Celtics’ defeat to Tatum, Darvin Ham Sends a Message to LeBron James and the Lakers.
After the Los Angeles Lakers fell to 16-15 on the season following a 126-115 loss to the Boston Celtics, head coach Darvin Ham thinks the team has enough talent on its own to turn things around.
As reported by ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Ham tried to maintain composure despite a run of six straight losses in eight games:
Fans who are worried that the Lakers might end up in the play-in round for the second straight season may find that their fears are not greatly eased by the remarks. The fact that Ham’s message is one he preached a few weeks ago doesn’t help either.
On December 23, the players Anthony Davis, LeBron James, Taurean Prince, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Cam Reddish all contributed to Los Angeles’ 129-120 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Next, Boston was played off the floor with that same group.
Even with Ham’s opposing viewpoint, it’s getting harder to deny that the Lakers must make a significant change if they hope to win any more games while focusing on the Davis/James dynamic.
The current roster resembles a 43-win team that aged a year and made no significant additions. Los Angeles, in particular, is in dire need of more shooting, as offseason addition Gabe Vincent has only made 11.8 percent of his three-pointers thus far. With 10.9 three-pointers made per game, Los Angeles is ranked 28th.
It’s reasonable to wonder how much the prospect of a blockbuster trade influences Ham’s evaluation of the roster. Rob Pelinka, general manager of the Lakers, will have a difficult time finding a third star who significantly raises the team’s ceiling because the Lakers have already parted ways with many of their best players.
