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Report: Stotts, Ham among final candidates for Lakers' head coaching gig

Steph Chambers / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The Los Angeles Lakers will meet with former Portland Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts, Milwaukee Bucks assistant Darvin Ham, and Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson for a final round of interviews for the franchise's vacant head coaching role, sources told The Athletic's Shams Charania.

Stotts, 64, has been away from the league since stepping down as Trail Blazers head coach following the 2020-21 season. He went a combined 402-318 in nine years with the club but was just 22-40 in the playoffs. Portland made the conference finals in 2019 under Stotts but was swept by the Warriors.

Ham has yet to serve as a head coach in the NBA but has over a decade of experience as an assistant, including two seasons with the Lakers from 2011-13. The 48-year-old was part of the Bucks' coaching staff that won the NBA championship in 2021.

Atkinson is in his first season on Steve Kerr's coaching staff in Golden State after working in a similar role for Tyronn Lue and the Los Angeles Clippers during the 2020-21 season. From 2016-20, he went 118-190 as Brooklyn Nets head coach over four regular seasons before suddenly stepping down in March 2020.

Los Angeles reportedly cast a wide net in its coaching search after dismissing Frank Vogel. The franchise reportedly also met with ESPN broadcaster and former Warriors coach Mark Jackson, and had requested permission to speak with Toronto Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin.

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