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LeBron James reacts to claims he called timeout and subbed himself without asking Darvin Ham
LeBron James addresses rumors of calling a timeout and substituting himself, shedding light on the situation with Darvin Ham
In a unique scenario this season, the Los Angeles Lakers had a substantial lead over the Portland Trail Blazers during most of Sunday night's 134-110 win. As the Lakers were leading by 23 with a little over six minutes left, it seemed like LeBron James decided to retire to the bench for some rest, acting like a coach.
James chose to commit a foul to pause the match, then requested a timeout, and eventually seemed to pull himself out. Lakers Coach Darvin Ham first looked puzzled, then seemingly agreed.
At that timeout, James got replaced with Austin Reaves. The internet went wild when the legendary player appeared to decide for Coach Ham, and the responses were undeniably entertaining.
One Instagram post that suggested James had self-substituted caught the star's attention.
The four-time champion rushed to his coach's defense, clarifying on Instagram that he had been conversing with Ham before exiting the game.
"No, I didn't. DHam told me to foul and then to call a TO. He was subbing me out. Stop with the BS!" James replied.
The narrative that Coach Ham isn't performing his duties doesn't sit well with the four-time MVP. It's clear from his recent defense of his coach that James is keen to transform the viewpoint of many of his spectators.
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Darvin Ham confident in Lakers' roster amid trade rumors
In recent days, trade rumors have intensified around the Los Angeles Lakers, indicating a clear intent to bolster their squad. Despite their struggle to significantly exceed a .500 record, particularly in the past month, the Lakers' potential is evident.
They effortlessly triumphed in the in-season tournament and achieved victories over robust teams like the Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Dallas Mavericks in January.
After routing the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday, Lakers' head coach Darvin Ham expressed confidence in the team's ability to achieve its objectives.
When questioned about the Lakers' potential to compete without a trade, Ham confidently responded, "Definitely. The team was structured this way for it." He further discussed the challenges of maintaining a steady lineup amid injuries and illnesses.
Ham highlighted the formidable duo of Anthony Davis and LeBron James and stressed the need for other players to step into aggressive roles rather than solely depending on the two stars.
D'Angelo Russell, the starting guard who has been a consistent subject of trade rumors, has recently made quite an impact with his high-scoring games.
Rumors suggest the Lakers might be exploring options for someone with more speed and agility on the court, who could potentially outperform Russell.
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