The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most recognized brands in all sports. They have such a rich history of tradition, winning, Hollywood glitz and glamour for a franchise that’s won 17 titles. Speaking of titles, they haven’t hoisted a Larry O’Brien Trophy since the Bubble of 2020. Many view that title with an asterisk because of the unique circumstances surrounding the pandemic at that time.
Fast forward to the 2023-2024 season, as the Lakers have been very sluggish and disappointing on the court since winning the inaugural In Season Tournament. They have one of the worst records in the NBA since capturing the Tourney Crown and have gone just 4-6 in their last 10 games.
There’s speculation that head coach Darvin Ham has lost direction regarding his team and the expectations are always high when it comes to the Purple and Gold. Ham has had an up and down coaching tenure in L.A. with a record of 67-61. When you’re just hovering over the .500 mark, that isn’t going to cut it over a lengthy period of time in the city of angels.
Let’s look at some circumstances surrounding the Lakers’ recent woes. The bench play has been inconsistent, and injuries have also been a factor. They’ve had nine different starting lineups, and Ham has been rotating starters in and out of the lineup like cars coming and going from the In N Out Drive Thru.
One of the key off season acquisitions of Gabe Vincent hasn’t panned out due to a knee injury which will sideline him for a few months. Cam Reddish has also been banged up at times this season and the Lakers have struggled to shoot the ball consistently well from the perimeter.
There are of course exceptions and the solid play of Lebron James, Anthony Davis, and Austin Reaves must be recognized despite the Lakers struggles. Lebron James is averaging 24.7 ppg, 7.2 rebounds, and 7.6 assists while Davis has posted 25.2 ppg, 12.2 boards, and 3.7 assists while shooting 55.5% from the field. Austin Reaves since being delegated to coming off the bench, has still put-up respectable numbers. Reaves is averaging 15.1 ppg, 4.2 rebounds and 5.2 assists.
Only time will tell what the end result will be for the Lakers, as they currently sit at 10th place in the West with a 21-21 record. The play in tournament may be their only option into the postseason, but even that alone isn’t good enough for this team or their fans in Tinsel town. I anticipate a change in coaching if the Lakers don’t make a deep playoff run. Come April and May of this year, we’ll see just how tasty this “Ham” is to owner Jeanie Buss and Laker nation.