Mike Malone has guided his Denver Nuggets to a second straight playoff series win over the Los Angeles Lakers. In the last two postseasons, the Nuggets boast an 8-1 record over the Purple and Gold. Denver also won all three of its regular-season matchups against the Lakers this season.
Nevertheless, Malone believes the Lakers should retain Ham’s services beyond the current season. He noted how Ham has handled his tenure with class and poise under difficult circumstances. Malone’s comments come as Ham’s future with the franchise is under question following a disappointing year for the LeBron James-led team.
“I think Darvin Ham is a hell of a coach,” Malone said. “That’s not an easy job. I think Darvin does it with class. I think he and his staff deserve credit for that. He’s a good man, good coach, and I wish him all the best. Hopefully, he’ll be around there for a long time because he deserves to be. And credit to their team, they’re not an easy out. LeBron James is arguably the greatest player of all time. Anthony Davis is a Hall of Famer. They gave us all we could handle.”
The Lakers came into the season believing they could challenge for a championship. Some smart offseason additions bolstered the roster’s depth and were supposed to help the franchise build on their Western Conference Finals appearance from last season.
“I think Darvin Ham is a hell of a coach. That’s not an easy job. I think Darvin does it with class. He’s a good man, good coach, and I wish him all the best. Hopefully, he’ll be around there for a long time because he deserves to be.”
— Michael Malone on Darvin Ham pic.twitter.com/V2Oy4QrM8h
— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) April 30, 2024
Rob Pelinka and the front office must return to the drawing board. They have some tough decisions to make. And they will be sweating on LeBron’s decision regarding his player option for next season. The Lakers are out of the playoffs, and right now, there are more questions than there are answers.
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