LeBron James could link up with former Cavs assistant as Lakers fill out coaching staff

Former Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Chris Jent could reunite with LeBron James, as Darvin Harm finalizes his Los Angeles Lakers coaching staff.

As new Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham rounds out his coaching staff, one former Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Chris Jent could be reuiniting with LeBron James.

Lakers insider Brad Turner reported Jent and former NBA All-Star Rasheed Wallace are serious candidates to join Ham’s coaching staff. Jent is currently on Nate McMillan’s Atlanta Hawks staff, but worked with James during his first run in Cleveland. As for Wallace, he was teammates with Ham when they were both members of the 2004 NBA Championship Detroit Pistons squad.

For different reasons, both men would be excellent additions to Ham’s first Lakers coaching staff.

Chris Jent, Rasheed Wallace potential candidates to join Los Angeles Lakers staff

After a decade-long player career that included winning an NBA Finals win with the 1994 Houston Rockets, Jent has spent nearly the last two as an assistant coach. He worked with James during his initial run in Cleveland from 2006 to 2011. His Ohio State connections should play well with James, as does the Atlanta connection he shares with Ham. Jent would be a big pickup for them.

As for Wallace, he has some coaching experience, but nowhere near as much as Jent. He was on the Pistons coaching shortly after he retired. Wallace has coached at the high school level and has most recently been on Penny Hardaway’s staff with the AAC’s Memphis Tigers. He was an unreal talent during his athletic prime, and should be in the hall of fame. Wallace may be a good hire, too.

Ultimately, it is going to take more than a few good coaching staff hires for Ham to have success in Los Angeles. This team desperately needs Anthony Davis to step up and be the player the Lakers need him to be. James is not getting any younger and the Western Conference is still an incredibly difficult road to navigate. The Lakers need to make the playoffs this season … or else.

Adding Jent and/or Wallace should help Ham in year one on the job, but it does not fix everything.