Expectations are natural when you back what is arguably the most successful NBA team in the history of the league.

Supporters of the Los Angeles Lakers are accustomed to witnessing their teams play at the greatest level. We’re discussing the eras of Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Wilt Chamberlain, James Worthy, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, and, most recently, LeBron James.

This year’s squad was anticipated to at least return to the Western Conference Finals following offseason retooling. That goal is by no means a given, based on what we’ve witnessed thus far this year.

Moreover, supporters of the Purple and Gold are not too pleased with head coach Darvin Ham right now, questioning everything from his strange decisions regarding the starting lineup to his play calling following timeouts. This dissatisfaction extends to the fickle world of social media platforms.

The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Lakers on Saturday night, 108-106. As of right now, LA is 17-16 and ranked ninth in the Western Conference. This is just not acceptable for a team that wants to win a championship.

It’s common for a scapegoat to emerge whenever a team performs below expectations. In this instance, Ham is the target of the fan base’s ire. Throughout the whole season, LeBron James has remained healthy. And he’s playing at an extremely high caliber.

This season, one fan argued for a rather unconventional course of action:

Another fan is appealing to majority owner Jeanie Buss instead of Ham’s immediate boss, team president Rob Pelinka:

Fans on Twitter and X jumped at the chance to use LeBron James’s recorded comment about an ATO play as evidence that Ham ought to be fired.