5 candidates to replace Darvin Ham as Lakers head coach

Phil Handy

Don't be surprised if the most likely candidate to replace Darvin Ham as Lakers head coach comes from in-house. After all, if the Lakers are unable to hire a strong candidate like Fernandez during the season then it might be best to wait to make a long-term decision.

Let's just say that Fernandez is the next dream hire for the Lakers considering how well he is touted in league circles. If the Lakers hire someone else in-season, that removes the possibility of hiring Fernandez in the summer. To keep that possibility alive, the Lakers may just want to hire an interim coach to replace Ham for the rest of the season.

And if that is the route that the Lakers decide to take then Phil Handy might just be the most likely coach to get the promotion. Handy is extremely well-respected by this Lakers team and there would be no worries about the locker room turning on him in any capacity.

Handy has primarily been a player development coach as an assistant but he is a bright basketball mind that could absolutely make out rotations and do head coaching duties. After all, it should be made easier when LeBron is on the roster with his influence.

Promoting Handy would allow the Lakers to get Ham's ludicrous rotations out of the picture without committing too soon to a long-term replacement. Winning the title with an interim head coach is extremely hard, but if anyone can do it on this Lakers staff it is Handy.