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Bucks deny Knicks' request to interview Darvin Ham
Darvin Ham was also scratched off the list for Mike Brown’s top assistant. The Milwaukee Bucks denied the Knicks’ request to interview Ham for the associate head coach position, The Post has learned. Ham joins James Borrego of the Pelicans and Jay Triano of the Mavericks as candidates under contract who weren’t granted permission to interview with the Knicks.
Phoenix and now New York — after the hiring of Mike Brown as the Knicks' new head coach — have expressed interest in trying to hire Darvin Ham away from the Bucks, The Stein Line has learned. Yet those would be considered lateral moves for Ham, who is Milwaukee's top assistant to Doc Rivers. I'm told the Bucks love having Ham back in their midst after his two-season stint as the Lakers' head coach and are determined to keep him in Brewtown unless he secures another head coaching opportunity elsewhere.
There were rumors that Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers would assume a role in the front office and leave coaching to either former assistant Sam Cassell, now with the Celtics, or ex-Lakers coach Darvin Ham. But Rivers indicated he intends to return as coach as the Bucks are prepared to keep superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and attempt to rebuild around him.
Ott was a Los Angeles Lakers assistant under Ham for two seasons (2022-24). The Lakers reached the 2023 Western Conference finals in Ham’s first season with Ott as his assistant after winning just 33 games the previous season. “Him riding shotgun with me and sort of my special teams coach, helping me with special situations, helping me with overall offensive and defensive concepts that we were trying to implement,” Ham said about Ott. “We didn’t win a championship, but we had a great amount of success in that situation. There’s no one more deserving, man. He’s a humble kid, tough, smart.”
“He has a great feel, which is an intangible I think that is just as valuable,” Ham said about Ott. “You’ve got to know your Xs and Os, you’ve got to be well equipped with player development, programs and understanding both sides of the ball, but I just think the feel for people nowadays with so much going on. The world is moving so fast between social media and the everchanging landscape of our league from playing styles to playing trends, he's abreast to all of that. He stays on top of all of that.”
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“You can talk about winning and getting to the playoffs and championships, but OK, how does that look in September, October, whatever is left of the summer?” Ham said. “(The Suns) had a long summer. So guys should be in the gym being efficient with their workouts, but (Ott) understands how to weave that fabric all together and get the results they’re looking for. I doubt if you’ll ever hear him talking about championships. Not saying that’s not what he wants to do because he’s well aware that’s the end goal, but you’ll hear him talking about how we can get better every day and maximize everything they got.”
"Doc had to go to the locker room feeling ill, and Darvin Ham took over. How did Darvin get you guys refocused?" Giannis: "That's what they told you? I thought Coach had to use the restroom. [laughs] That’s what they said—Coach had to use the restroom. That’s why we did that on the bench. I’m joking. But yeah, I’ve been with Coach for four or five years. I know his playbook, how he operates. It’s home for me. Maybe different for other guys, but we’ve got a great coaching staff. If Coach Doc or Darvin goes down, the next guy can step up—Coach Dave, Coach Pry, even Coach V. And congrats to Coach Doc—he just passed Phil Jackson in all-time wins. We’ve got to do a video tribute when we get back home. Hope he feels better—we’ll need him."
Eric Nehm: Bucks coach Doc Rivers is not feeling well, per Bucks PR, and he has gone back to the locker room. Darvin Ham taking over for the time being.
Jim Owczarski: Darvin Ham subbed in for Doc Rivers' pregame media requirement - he said the #Bucks head coach is fine, but was running late - Giannis Antetokounmpo and Gary Trent will play. Ham considers Damian Lillard day-to-day with the calf issue. #NBASky
Lakers were concerned about their ability to count on Anthony Davis as their top option in the future
Let’s go back to that key word for a moment: alpha. While Anthony Davis had no shortage of fans within the Lakers’ walls, there was also a strong sense that he wasn’t “1-A” material. League sources say there were concerns about his durability and availability and a belief that he could never truly be counted on as a top option in the future. And while his approval rating was high, it had not been forgotten how — in those days before the decision was made to fire then-coach Darvin Ham in early May 2024 — the known threat of a possible Davis trade request loomed so large when it came to their internal calculus. The pressure on that front had been rising for quite some time.
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League sources say there were concerns about his durability and availability and a belief that he could never truly be counted on as a top option in the future. And while his approval rating was high, it had not been forgotten how — in those days before the decision was made to fire former coach Darvin Ham in early May 2024 — the known threat of a possible Davis trade request loomed so large when it came to their internal calculus. The pressure on that front had been rising for quite some time.
Charles Barkley on JJ Redick: 'You just a dead man walking'
“Y’all heard JJ Redick said something about me?” Barkley started. “JJ, you better calm down, cause when you come for the king, you better not miss … He said something about we’re the reason people ain’t watching this crappy product we got. Yeah, us, like we’re out there jacking up 100 threes a night … JJ, you come for the king, you best not miss, cause I can get you, brother,” Chuck passionately continued. “Remember, I got your Lakers games, you can’t hide them flaws they got. You just a dead man walking — they got rid of Frank Vogel who did a good job, they got rid of Darvin Ham who did a good job. You came out there thinking you were gonna change things with that same ugly girl you went on a date with – the Lakers stink.,” Barkley said.
It's important to note that Redick didn't directly point to the “Inside” crew as the problem. However, Barkley pressed on, taking aim at both the Lakers and Redick, sarcastically suggesting that Redick believed he could turn things around in L.A. He also delved into his concerns about the way the game is being played. “We’re the reason ratings are down. We’re the reason, like we’re playing. If me and Shaq played, the ratings would be down. But in fairness, if me and Shaq played, we’d be like the third and fourth best players on that Laker team right now … bums out there, but it’s Frank Vogel and Darvin Ham’s fault! I’m tired of these people jacking up 100 threes saying we’re the reason ratings are down. ‘Thirty seconds to another three-point shooting contest!'”
Bobby Portis on Lakers rivalry: ’It’s always fun game to play in. Our games last year actually went down to the wire, we actually lost both games by like under three or four or five points so it was great games to play in and obviously for Coach Darvin Ham it's a big moment for him so I think our guys will be fired up for him to go out there and get a dub and on the other side you know they'll be fired up and not want their coach to beat them so it's just going to be a great game for TV. Hopefully that game is somewhere live nationally, I think it's a great storyline behind it and it's a great game to follow, two good matchups with two veteran savvy teams, two playoff style teams so it should be a good game. Hopefully it's broadcasted somewhere and hopefully the world can see us go at it and hoop. I love those type of games, I love the competitive spirit. One of my biggest qualities and traits as a player is my competitive spirit and I live for those type of games’.
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