The Milwaukee Bucks have reportedly agreed to a deal with Darvin Ham to be the team’s next top assistant under Doc Rivers, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!This news comes after NBA insider Marc Stein reported that: “League sources say (Mike) Budenholzer made a run at trying to convince Darvin Ham to join his staff in Phoenix, but Ham — fired as Lakers coach on May 3 — is said to have understandably passed after two exacting seasons in Lakerland. The Suns responded by asking David Fizdale, from (Frank) Vogel’s staff, to stay on as an assistant coach on Budenholzer’s new staff after initially offering him a front office role.”
Phoenix officially hired Budenholzer as head coach to replace Vogel on May 11, two weeks after the team was swept in the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Ham was an assistant under Budenholzer for four seasons in Milwaukee from 2018-22 before landing the Lakers head-coaching gig. Before Milwaukee, Ham spent all of Budenholzer’s five seasons with the Atlanta Hawks on staff with him there.
The Lakers finished 90-74 in the regular season in Ham’s two-year tenure and were swept in the Western Conference Finals last season by the Nuggets before losing to them again in the first round this year.
Wojnarowski added: “Ham, 50, had been highly-sought-after this offseason as a top assistant coach and now lands back with a Bucks franchise that was injury-riddled in a first-round loss to Indiana this season. He has strong relationships with key Bucks players, including two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.”
The Suns have reportedly hired four assistants under Budenholzer so far, including retaining Fizdale, but have not yet named who will be the lead one.
Report: Lakers ex-HC turned down assistant opportunity with Suns
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Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau
