Darvin Ham, the former head coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, had another coaching opportunity lined up following his dismissal from the team last month.

The 50-year-old was reportedly sought out by new Phoenix Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer to join his staff as he embarks on his first season with the team.

However, Ham "understandably passed after two exacting seasons in Lakerland," according to league insider Marc Stein in his newsletter on Substack.

As a result, the Suns had to reassign Dave Fizdale, who served as an assistant under former head coach Frank Vogel last season and was subsequently promoted to a front-office position, back to an assistant role under Budenholzer.

Budenholzer was hired by the Phoenix Suns last month to lead the team after they endured a first-round sweep at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2024 NBA Playoffs.

Mike Budenholzer and Darvin Ham's history together

Ham has a long history of being an assistant under Budenholzer, first joining his staff with the Atlanta Hawks in 2013.

The former NBA player followed Budenholzer when he moved to the Milwaukee Bucks in 2018. He served in this role until 2022 when the Lakers hired him for his first head coaching gig.

Ham was part of the Bucks' coaching staff when they captured the 2021 NBA championship against, ironically, Budenholzer's new team, the Phoenix Suns.