7 Lakers head coach candidates to replace Darvin Ham

3. Phil Handy

If the Lakers replace Darvin Ham with someone from their bench, Handy feels like the choice. He just finished his fifth season with the franchise and is their longest-tenured assistant. The 52-year-old played in college and overseas before getting into coaching.

Handy was an assistant with the Cavaliers for four years when LeBron James was on the team. He joined the Lakers in 2019. Next season will mark ten years of Handy working with King James between Cleveland and Los Angeles. Handy has been an NBA assistant coach for 13 years for three different teams but has zero head coaching experience.

Handy wants to be a head coach and believes he is ready. The veteran assistant is just waiting for his opportunity. There are only 30 jobs, so it is never easy. Could LeBron be the one who helps him get it? They have spent nearly a decade together, and Handy has a close relationship with the Lakers superstar.  

Phil Handy is far from an outside-the-box hire. Los Angeles may decide to go in a different direction after a disappointing season, which could see them hire someone with zero coaching experience unless coaching his son’s youth team counts.