Ru<a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-news-if-donovan-mitchell-joins-knicks-lakers-might-move-for-julius-randle-2448-20220803-SPD-2448.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ssell Westbrook</a> and Frank Vogel have a running spat about how late in games he should be playing. Westbrook was benched a couple of times by Vogel, who thought other players had earned the right to close out games for the <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-rumors-lakers-and-lebron-james-not-close-to-contract-renewal-agreement-2456-20220805-SPD-2456.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Los Angeles Lakers.</a>



The 33-year-old veteran was not happy about it. In the aftermath of one of these incidents, he said, “I earned the right to be in closing lineups.” Soon enough, Vogel was fired from his position.



Darvin Ham, Vogel’s successor, seems to have been given carte blanche to use Westbrook any way he sees appropriate. Hammer has “greater authority to sit Westbrook down the stretch of games” and that “power might ultimately extend to eliminating Westbrook from the starting lineup,” according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic. 



<h2>Russell Westbrook-Lakers: Inevitable split?</h2>



According to reports from last season, Vogel was on the verge of making this move, but he held off because he was afraid of losing Westbrook permanently. All indications are that Westbrook and the Lakers are looking to split. 



The Los Angeles Lakers have been publicly trading him for <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-trade-rumors-lakers-have-other-targets-besides-kyrie-irving-2269-20220719-SPD-2269.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kyrie Irving</a>. As of today, any possible trade is stalling. There is nothing the New York Knicks can do to compel a deal for Irving until the issue with Kevin Durant in Brooklyn is settled.

Lakers' coach Darvin Ham to have authority to bench Russell Westbrook - thesportsdrops NEWS

Lakers' coach Darvin Ham to have authority to bench Russell Westbrook

miniaturas

<a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-news-darvin-ham-has-high-expectations-of-lakers-starstruck-team-1435-20220610-SPD-1435.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Los Angeles Lakers</a> have sought to deal with <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-news-new-lakers-coach-darvin-ham-plans-to-keep-russell-westbook-1379-20220608-SPD-1379.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Russell Westbrook</a> since the previous season’s trade deadline, and that hasn’t changed recently. As a player, Westbrook struggled to adjust to a new position with the Lakers, as they finished the 2021-22 NBA season with a 33-49 record, missing the Playoffs.



As difficult as it has been for the Lakers to get rid of Westbrook, a proposal involving the former MVP and the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-news-kevin-durant-wont-get-involved-in-kyrie-irvings-decision-on-future-1775-20220625-SPD-1775.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kyrie Irving</a> has emerged since the start of open-market free agency. <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-news-shannon-sharpe-wants-lebron-james-kyrie-irving-to-join-forces-again-1692-20220621-SPD-1692.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LeBron James</a> and Irving had their most successful season together at Cleveland Cavaliers.



Now, Daevin Ham’s side aim to renew their old friendship in order to compete for a title once again. However, while the Lakers’ trade speculations swirl, their head coach remains steadfast in his belief in his present group of players.



<h2>What Darvin Ham said on Lakers’ squad</h2>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">“We love everyone on our roster. And until you’re not on our roster, you’re ours and we’re going to try to get better with the group that we have. That’s just the bottom line of it. I don’t know a player that’s come through this league in my 26 years that hasn’t had their name part of a trade rumor a time or two. “But, it is what it is. It’s the nature of the beast of our business. And so, again, the guys we have on our roster I’m very thankful for, I’m proud of and we want to maximize everything they can do to help us get to that ultimate goal.”<cite>Ham said to the reporters during the Lakers’ most recent Summer League game</cite></blockquote>

New Lakers coach Darvin Ham content with current roster in spite of recent trade rumors - thesportsdrops NEWS

New Lakers coach Darvin Ham content with current roster in spite of recent trade rumors

It’s time for a new era for the <a href="https:\/\/news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-news-new-lakers-coach-darvin-ham-plans-to-keep-russell-westbook-1379-20220608-SPD-1379.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Los Angeles Lakers</a> under new head coach <a href="https:\/\/news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-rumors-lakers-will-employ-darvin-ham-as-next-head-coach-1207-20220601-SPD-1207.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Darvin Ham.</a> The 48-year-old was presented to the media for the first time on Monday during a news conference during which he discussed his vision for the squad going into the 2022-23 season.



Ham described the reunion as a “homecoming” when he appeared at his news conference. Prior to joining the Atlanta Hawks in 2013, the 2004 NBA champion was an assistant coach for Mike Brown and Mike D’Antoni at the University of Kansas from 2011 to 2013.



Lakers defense, <a href="https:\/\/news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-rumors-lakers-hint-at-potential-russell-westbrook-stay-890-20220519-SPD-890.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Russell Westbrook</a>‘s fit on the club, and expectations for <a href="https:\/\/news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-news-jeanie-buss-explains-why-she-would-never-sell-the-lakers-622-20220510-SPD-622.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Anthony Davis</a> and <a href="https:\/\/news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-news-lakers-contemplated-reuniting-kyrie-irving-with-lebron-james-696-20220512-SPD-696.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LeBron James</a> were among the topics discussed by Ham throughout the interview. Ham has said that he is seeking someone who can take charge and wear multiple hats as he begins to construct his coaching team in Los Angeles.



<h2>What Ham expects of LeBron, Davis, and Westbrook</h2>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">“Competitiveness, togetherness, and accountability. That’s going to be our mantra: competitiveness, togetherness, and accountability. That toughness everyone has been throwing around attached to my name, well that’s just being competitive. Being competitive you’ve got to be tough-minded, you have to be tough physically. Togetherness – it’s a team sport. We can’t have each other be out on an island… “Accountability, when we set this standard, we watch film, I have to be able to get on LeBron, get on Russ, get on AD, just like when I’m ready to get on Austin Reaves and Stanley Johnsons and the likes. It’s that accountability top to bottom, even as coaches, holding myself accountable… Regardless of the sport you’re gonna find those three ingredients.”<cite>Ham told Malika Andrews of ESPN</cite></blockquote>

NBA News: Darvin Ham has high expectations of Lakers' starstruck team - thesportsdrops NEWS

NBA News: Darvin Ham has high expectations of Lakers' starstruck team

During his formal presentation as <a href="https:\/\/news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers-rings-how-many-nba-championships-have-the-lakers-won-86-20220502-SPD-86.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Los Angeles Lakers</a> new head coach, <a href="https:\/\/news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-rumors-lakers-will-employ-darvin-ham-as-next-head-coach-1207-20220601-SPD-1207.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Darvin Ham</a> has suggested that he intends to keep <a href="https:\/\/news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-rumors-lakers-hint-at-potential-russell-westbrook-stay-890-20220519-SPD-890.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Russell Westbrook</a> for the next season. He spoke about a wide range of issues during the press conference, including how to effectively use the point guard.



Even though Rob Pelinka and the franchise took their time, they may now make roster selections now that Ham has been formally confirmed as the team’s new head coach. For example, the uncertainty surrounding Westbrook’s long-term plans has dominated the news for weeks.



Not to add that the 33-year-old veteran had one of his worst campaigns to date. In comparison to the remainder of his career, he played just 27.2 percent of the time, averaging only 34.3 minutes per game. Ham, however, seemed unfazed by the figures.



<h2>What Ham said about Westbrook</h2>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">“I want him to feel loved, I want him to feel comfortable. You gonna bring him off the bench you gonna do this, no none of that stuff matters… I need him to set the tone defensively… He said he’s willing to do that. He’s made it his own personal mission to be better defensively. “Don’t get it messed up. Russell is one of the best players our league has ever seen,” Ham said. “He still has a ton left in that tank. I don’t know why people tend to write him off. I’m going to approach him like every player I’ve ever encountered. We’re going to talk about our running habits with the ball, without the ball. “But again, the team, the rhythm of the team, and trying to establish the rhythm with LeBron, Russ, AD. Again, share the load defensively and offensively. Defensively is where you’re going to see us make our biggest leaps and bounds. We have to commit to the defensive side of the ball or we don’t have a chance to do anything. The offense won’t even matter if we don’t get stops.”</blockquote>

NBA News: New Lakers coach Darvin Ham plans to keep Russell Westbook - thesportsdrops NEWS

NBA News: New Lakers coach Darvin Ham plans to keep Russell Westbook

According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the <a href="https:\/\/news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-rumors-lakers-hint-at-potential-russell-westbrook-stay-890-20220519-SPD-890.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Los Angeles Lakers</a> have signed <a href="https:\/\/news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-news-lakers-contemplated-reuniting-kyrie-irving-with-lebron-james-696-20220512-SPD-696.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milwaukee Bucks</a> assistant <a href="https:\/\/news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-rumors-lakers-narrow-head-coach-search-to-three-finalists-968-20220521-SPD-968.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Darvin Ham</a> as their head coach. There were several applicants interviewed by the Lakers before narrowing the field to three finalists: Ham, Terry Stotts, and Kenny Atkinson, the former head coach of the Brooklyn Nets.



According to Shams Charania, Ham beat over more experienced candidates to get a four-year contract as the team’s head coach. During his playing days, Ham was a small forward who had an NBA career that lasted for over 10 years. 



A champion with the 2004 Detroit Pistons and Slam Dunk Contest participant, he has subsequently established himself as an assistant coach. It was with the Lakers that Ham landed his first NBA coaching position after a brief stint in the G League.



<h2>Ham to sign four-year deal with Los Angeles Lakers</h2>



In the three years that he worked under Phil Jackson (2011-2013), he came up just short of guiding the Los Angeles Lakers to their last two NBA titles.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">“According to the buzz in NBA coaching circles over the weekend, Ham has likewise been promised the autonomy to pick his coaching staff and is said to have received assurances that Lakers senior advisor Kurt Rambis will not be a regular presence in coaching meetings like he was with Vogel. If those promises come to fruition and Ham actually receives all that latitude, they will rank as significant concessions secured by a first-time NBA head coach.”<cite>Marc Stein of Substack</cite></blockquote>

Darvin Ham

Lakers' coach Darvin Ham to have authority to bench Russell Westbrook

New Lakers coach Darvin Ham content with current roster in spite of recent trade rumors

NBA News: Darvin Ham has high expectations of Lakers' starstruck team

NBA News: New Lakers coach Darvin Ham plans to keep Russell Westbook

NBA Rumors: Lakers will employ Darvin Ham as next head coach

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