According to open-air stand reporter Chris Haines, despite losing 11 out of 16 games, the Los Angeles Lakers still believe in their head coach Daven Hamm, who has the support of owner Jenny Bass and top management Pelinka to focus on helping the team get back on track.
"According to insiders, Lakers owner Jenny Buss and basketball operations president Rob Pelinka have informed Ham that his position has not wavered," Haines wrote. The Zijin Legion allows Ham to focus on leading the team to turn the tide. Previously, the coach also stated in an interview, "I have been communicating with Pelinka every day and discussing how to improve our team. This is a kind of dialogue that I enjoy being publicly available, which is very helpful for us. We are all working hard to do things well and will do better."
Ham understood the pressure of coaching the Lakers and James, and on the day when he revealed that some Lakers players had lost trust in Ham, he was a bit surprised. "That day when I was looking at my phone, I received about 50 text messages. I don't play social media and don't know what people are saying. But the messages I received were all, 'Hold on. Are you okay? Everything will be okay, and we will all support you.' At first, I thought someone had passed away, and then someone sent me an unknown source report, and I was thinking, 'What is this?'"
It seems that the Lakers will not take action against their head coach, but the team may still take action. According to Haines, the Purple Gold Legion hopes to increase the speed and agility of the backcourt. They want to advance their attack rhythm while gaining leadership and defense capabilities. Some executives from other teams believe that the Lakers, Raptors, and several other teams will start a more serious conversation with the Hawks about DeJong Murray. ESPN's Werner Rofsky stated that the Lakers have begun to engage with the Hawks.
However, whether to switch back to Murray is another matter. The Lakers' chips may not be enough to impress the Hawks, and the other team has no intention of sending Murray away before the deadline. The defender still has a three-year protection contract, and the 2027-28 season is a player option.
Despite poor performance and constant rumors, Ham still firmly believes that the Lakers can get back on track. "I don't know how the team's roster will change, but I like the current team. Big Eyebrow is playing the best basketball of his career, and James is still the same James. I believe we can beat the four sides again, and we will find a way," he said.