Yet as we're reminded every year, there's a significant difference between the mood around a coach souring and the power brokers above him actually deciding to make a change. With that in mind, a high-ranking Lakers source pushed back against the idea Ham is on the verge of being fired. Still, serious pressure from within is clearly being applied on Ham, and there's no better way for him to relieve it than by winning his way out in the days and weeks to come.
Ultimately, the Lakers aren't that far removed from winning the In-Season Tournament and the vibe around the team being notably different. And the Western Conference Finals run is not something to scoff at. Ham has earned some leeway. The Lakers also haven't made an in-season coaching change since Mike Brown in 2013 and while that is a stat that has a lot of context built into it, it also shows a general approach of letting coaches try
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