The Los Angeles Lakers have decided to start changing their whole coaching staff. On Friday, they dismissed Darvin Ham, and now they have fired all the assistant coaches, including Phil Handy, who was a long-time assistant for the team. Handy’s dismissal was a surprise, given his reputation as a highly regarded assistant coach when the Lakers hired him before the 2011-12 season.
After playing for the Toronto Raptors and the Cleveland Cavaliers, he returned to the Los Angeles Lakers. Since 2019, Handy has been working as an assistant coach for the Lakers, which was his second stint with the team. He had established himself as one of the most respected assistant coaches in the NBA.
Los Angeles Lakers’ decision will come as a surprise to fans
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The Lakers won four more games in Ham’s second season with the team, but their season ended with a five-game loss to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs, much earlier than in 2021. When a new head coach is hired, it is rare for the assistants to be retained by the team, and therefore, the decision was most likely unavoidable.
The Lakers’ decision will surprise fans, but it has the potential to improve the team’s performance next season. Following the disappointing loss in the playoff series and early elimination against the Denver Nuggets, changing the roles and responsibilities of the team’s players could be a wise move.
This decision will ignite debate among NBA analysts. It’ll be exciting to see who the Lakers hire to fill these positions.
Also Read: Lakers Reportedly “Very Open” to Draft Bronny to Keep LeBron James With Lakers
