Lakers Hall Of Famer Suggests Darvin Ham's Job Could Be On The Line In Nuggets Series

Would he really be to blame for a series loss to Denver?

Apr 16, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts with head coach Darvin Ham. / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

During a new interview on his show "The Big Podcast" with controversial rapper DaBaby, former three-time Los Angeles Lakers Finals MVP center Shaquille O'Neal offered a surprisingly candid insight into whether or not he felt that current head coach Darvin Ham's job was in jeopardy.

“I don’t like talking about coaches,” the 15-time All-Star initially offered when asked about Ham's job status. “No, I don’t have any idea. However, if the Lakers lose, changes will be made. I know that for a fact.”

“That’s just the way they operate,” O'Neal continued. “That’s a storied franchise, historical franchise. We’re used to winning. We’re all about winning. Ever since that bubble championship, it’s gone up and down, so changes will definitely be made.”

Los Angeles, the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference by benefit of winning its play-in game against the New Orleans Pelicans last week, currently trails Denver, the West's No. 2 seed, 0-2 as the series is poised to shift to Crypto.com Arena starting on Thursday. LA has blown double-digit advantages in both of its first two bouts, as the insanely resilient Nuggets, led by two-time league MVP center Nikola Jokic, generally find themselves outmatching the Lakers.

Ham has had the head coaching gig with Los Angeles for two seasons, posting a 90-74 overall record.

More Lakers: Latest Update On Jarred Vanderbilt, Christian Wood