The Lakers Fired Darvin Ham... But Will Jeanie Buss and Rob Pelinka Hold Themselves Accountable?

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

Defenders of Darvin Ham—and while Lakers Nation isn't exactly full of them, there are some whether among fans or in the (generally national) media—have pointed out since the Lakers canned Ham (ha!) Friday afternoon that it's not fair to blame him for everything that went wrong this year.

Darvin wasn't "the" problem. The "real" problem was something else.

The problem there, of course, is that the framing is too reductive. In any season like this one, responsibility for success and failure is spread around. So yeah, Darvin wasn't "the" problem, but he was "a" problem, and the easiest one to fix at the moment. The time will come for players to be held accountable, as the franchise chooses who they'll try to keep, who they let walk, and who they might use to try and upgrade the roster. But the final question is who holds the decision-makers accountable? Is Rob Pelinka going through a process of introspection similar to the one that led to his evaluation of Ham, and the need for his dismissal? How does that process work in the basketball ops department?

And what about Jeanie Buss? Is she holding Pelinka responsible? Who does she talk with to get a feel for whether Pelinka is doing the job as well as he should?

What happens if the answers to the questions that aren't about Ham's accountability aren't very good? Or aren't really being addressed at all? What does that mean for the capacity for success for the next guy?

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky
SEGMENT 1: Darvin got fired because he wasn't successful enough in his responsibilities this season...that doesn't mean he was the only issue.

SEGMENT 2: Multiple things can be true at once.
SEGMENT 3: Is Pelinka holding himself accountable? Is Jeanine holding Pelinka accountable?

Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!

LinkedIn
LinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONNBA. Terms and conditions apply.

Yahoo Finance
For comprehensive financial news and analysis, visit the brand behind every great investor, YahooFinance.com.

BetterHelp
This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Make your brain your friend, with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDONNBA today to get 10% off your first month.

Monopoly GO!
Get in the game and join your friends. Download MONOPOLY GO! now free on The App Store or Google Play.

eBay Motors
From brakes to exhaust kits and beyond, eBay Motors has over 122 million parts to keep your ride-or-die alive. With all the parts you need at the prices you want, it’s easy to bring home that big win. Keep your ride-or-die alive at EbayMotors.com. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers.

PrizePicks
Go to PrizePicks.com/lockedonnba and use code lockedonnba for a first deposit match up to $100!

Gametime
Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply.

FanDuel
FanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook. Right now, NEW customers get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS with any winning GUARANTEED That’s A HUNDRED AND FIFTY BUCKS – with any winning FIVE DOLLAR BET! Visit FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON to get started.

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)