The Los Angeles Lakers have been on a bit of a roll of late. They just saw their three-game winning streak snapped on Tuesday courtesy of the Phoenix Suns, but it's hard not to see that this team appears to now be turning a corner after their rough start to the season.
Darvin Ham has played a key role in the Lakers' recent resurgence. His players have bought into his system, and there is no clearer indication of the same than Russell Westbrook totally embracing his new role coming off the bench.
As it turns out, Ham has been receiving a lot of help behind the scenes from a prominent ex-NBA coach. According to Ham himself, he's been working closely with former Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder:
“Opposites attract, man,” Ham said of Snyder, via Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. “That’s my dude. Obviously, his swag is way different from my type of swag. But we just find the humor in certain things, and we have this bond, this connection that keeps life in perspective.”
Ham also said that he's thankful to Snyder for providing him with some pro bono assistance. Snyder helps the Lakers coach by analyzing games and sharing best practices. Ham also says that the former Jazz shot-caller sends him “long-a** text messages” on a regular basis.
For his part, Snyder refused to take much credit for his behind-the-scenes work:
“I mostly ask questions, try to help him think about stuff,” Snyder said. “He knows his team, and he knows what he wants from them.”
For what it's worth, Quin Snyder was also linked to the Lakers coaching gig after he stepped down as Utah's head coach last summer. The front office eventually went with Darvin Ham, and it seems that this was the right decision.
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