One day after being formally introduced as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, Darvin Ham, as expected, made significant changes to his assistant coaching staff. Fortunately for Lakers fans, Phil Handy isn't going anywhere.

According to ESPN, Ham informed three assistants — David Fizdale, Mike Penberthy, and John Lucas III — that they would not be retained next season.

However, Yahoo's Chris Haynes reported that Handy, one of the most respected assistants in basketball and a player development guru who has worked closely with LeBron James, Talen Horton-Tucker, and Austin Reaves (to name a few), would return.

Quentin Crawford will be back, as well. Crawford was hired by the Lakers in 2019 and elevated to the bench last season. He coached the Summer League squad in 2021.

Handy (and Crawford) meet the criteria for assistants Ham laid out in his introductory press conference on Monday.

“I like coaches that like to roll up their sleeves and are able to get out there. Where I come from the last nine years (on Mike Budenholzer's staff), we did everything. We did player development. We did scouting. I had to step in as the head coach on a few occasions. But it was a team. It wasn't coordinators on either side of the ball. We all pitched in on all aspects of our team basketball offensively and defensively. So, I'm looking to build that similar type of staff.”

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Handy is considered one of the top developmental teachers in basketball, but his expertise stretches much broader.

Handy, who is close with Kyrie Irving, was a reported target of the Brooklyn Nets after the departure of Nets director of player development Adam Harrington. Some thought Handy might be perturbed with the Lakers after not being considered for the head coaching position. Handy has openly expressed his desire to run an NBA team and has interviewed for head coaching gigs in the past.

Handy joined the Lakers staff with Ham in 2011, under Mike Brown. He won titles with the Toronto Raptors and Cleveland Cavaliers before returning to Los Angeles.

The moves validate reports that, unlike Vogel, Ham would be given significant power to hand-pick his own staff. Ham's former teammate, Rasheed Wallace, is a candidate to join the Lakers staff, as well.

Lucas III and Fizdale were hired before last season. Fizdale briefly took over as head coach in December while Frank Vogel dealt with COVID-19. Mike Penberthy, a former Lakers player, had worked closely with Anthony Davis since their days together with the New Orleans Pelicans. He was hired by the Lakers in 2019 after the Davis trade.

According to longtime NBA reporter Marc Stein, Utah Jazz part-owner Dwyane Wade — who worked with Fizdale with the Miami Heat — could target the former New York Knicks and Memphis Grizzlies head coach for a job on the Jazz staff.