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Lakers Should Hire Kenny Atkinson as Next HC amid NBA Rumors After Darvin Ham Firing
Another new era will soon begin for the Los Angeles Lakers, who recently fired head coach Darvin Ham after two seasons. It means the Lakers will have to hire somebody to fill the spot, and the new head coach will be the team’s eighth since Phil Jackson retired following the 2010-11 season.
Ham went 90-74 at the helm, leading Los Angeles to the playoffs in both of his seasons (including to the Western Conference Finals in the 2022-23 campaign). However, the Lakers were eliminated in a five-game first-round series by the Denver Nuggets this year, prompting a change at the top.
The burning question is now this: Who will be the next Lakers coach?
According to Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times, the Lakers are “taking their time” in the early stages of their coaching search. NBA insider Marc Stein noted the Lakers are “holding internal meetings this week to establish their hiring priorities.”
Stein named assistant coaches such as Golden State’s Kenny Atkinson and Denver’s David Adelman as potential candidates for Los Angeles, although his report stated the team hasn’t yet requested permission to interview any current assistants at this time.
It seems clear what the Lakers could be looking for, though, per Woike.
“In conversations with sources over the last few days, there’s a strong sense the Lakers are putting a premium on experience in this search—following trends where the Lakers have course-corrected from one decision by doing a version of the opposite,” Woike wrote.
Ham had never been an NBA head coach when he was hired by Los Angeles in June 2022. It makes sense the Lakers may want a more experienced leader this time, especially with a roster that could again feature veterans such as Anthony Davis, LeBron James (as long as he returns) and others.
That is why Atkinson should be the next head coach in Los Angeles.
Atkinson already has four seasons of NBA head-coaching experience, as he led the Brooklyn Nets from 2016-20. He went 118-190 during that time and only guided them to one playoff appearance (a first-round exit in the 2018-19 season), but he knows what the job entails better than some other candidates.
Since resigning from his post with the Nets, Atkinson has served as an assistant for the Los Angeles Clippers (2020-21) and the Golden State Warriors (2021-present). The 56-year-old is now an NBA champion, as the Warriors won a title at the end of the 2021-22 season.
It had to be helpful for Atkinson to coach under Steve Kerr, who has had a ton of success during his time with Golden State. Atkinson should use some of that knowledge to fare better whenever he gets another opportunity to be a head coach himself.
Perhaps that will be with the Lakers starting in the 2024-25 season. Atkinson seems to fit the mold of what the team may be looking for, and he could be a good fit.
Los Angeles should give Atkinson his next chance, as his style could give the team the boost it needs to get back to being a championship contender.
