The Los Angeles Lakers fired head coach Darvin Ham after two seasons, striving to return to championship contention. Despite James and Davis playing, they fell to the Nuggets in the playoffs, leaving a double-digit lead uncaptured.
Ham inherited a struggling team, revamped the roster for success, and secured the in-season tournament title. The Lakers struggled early in the season, rallied to finish strong and clinched the seventh seed but failed in the playoffs.