While the Milwaukee Bucks have just solved their own head coaching shakeup with the hiring of former Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins to succeed Doc Rivers as the head of the Bucks, Milwaukee may be bidding farewell to one of their assistant coaches by the start of next season. 

Like the Bucks, the New Orleans Pelicans finished 11th in their conference after a disappointing 26-56 season despite one of the healthiest seasons of star Zion Williamson's career. They wasted no time trying to correct course by firing head coach Willie Green after a 2-10 start to the season, leaving James Borrego in charge.

The Pelicans' interim skipper didn't fare much better and now the Pelicans are branching out for new leadership, with Bucks assistant coach Darvin Ham reportedly tapped as a potential candidate.

In his Substack The Stein Line, Marc Stein named a number of assistant coaches that the Pelicans may pursue, Ham included.

“The Pelicans have begun formal outreach to candidates they plan to pursue in addition to interim coach James Borrego. Sources say names of strong interest from the league's assistant ranks include San Antonio's Sean Sweeney, Milwaukee's Darvin Ham and Brooklyn's Steve Hetzel," Stein wrote.

Ham has been around basketball for a long time. He won a championship as a member of the 2004 Detroit Pistons and spent eight seasons in the NBA in total, along with time spent in both the NBA Development League as well as playing overseas. 

He's been a coach for sometime as well. He's been an assistant in the NBA with the Bucks, winning a championship in 2021, Los Angeles Lakers and Atlanta Hawks, while serving as the head coach of the Lakers from 2022-2024 with a 90-74 overall record across two seasons. 

Ham certainly isn't the showiest of choices for head coach of a team, especially considering the state of the Pelicans as a franchise, but he would bring championship experience to the team.

There's no guarantee he'll be hired as the reports are simply a preliminary list of candidates that the Pelicans are considering, but taking a job in New Orleans would be the most straightforward way for Ham to find another head coaching job, especially with the Bucks role being so recently filled. 

It's shaping up to be a busy offseason and the departure of Ham would bring another shakeup to the Bucks as they too look to stabilize the state of their franchise. But for now, only time will tell how the Pelicans' coaching search proceeds and if Ham will be bidding Milwaukee farewell.