Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers and his new assistant Darvin Ham have been two of the most scrutinized NBA coaches in recent memory. Their recent pairing hasn’t put Bucks fans at ease, as both men have a penchant for blowing playoff games.

NBA legend Magic Johnson is completely on board with it, though, as he expressed via his X account.

“I’m so happy that my friend and Milwaukee Bucks Head Coach Doc Rivers has named former Lakers Head Coach Darvin Ham as his new Top Assistant!” Johnson exclaimed.

Many fans in Johnson’s replies remained skeptical, though.

“This will certainly work out well,” @franklinisbored tweeted.

“It is so over for the Bucks,” @stephenaismith said.

“In other words, you glad Ham is as far away from the Lakers as possible. lol,” @alanbarcoff tweeted.

Are the fans being harsh, or is Johnson looking at the coaches with rose-colored glasses?

While Ham was heavily blamed for the Lakers’ disappointing finish last year, that doesn’t tell his full story. The 50-year-old also won a championship in Milwaukee as Mike Budenholzer’s assistant in 2021 and unexpectedly took a seventh-seeded Lakers team to the Conference Finals in 2023.

Additionally, Ham has good relationships with Milwaukee’s prominent players, via Forbes’ Brian Sampson.

“Ham is known for his strong connections with [Giannis] Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, and Bobby Portis,” Sampson explained.

“His reputation as a player’s coach, capable of fostering a supportive environment while also holding players accountable through open and honest conversations, sets him apart. This unique dynamic will allow Ham to reintegrate into the Bucks’ ecosystem seamlessly, minimizing the adjustment period typically associated with such transitions.”

Ham making an immediate impact will be crucial to the team’s stabilization. Since winning championships requires consistency and familiarity, Rivers’ sudden entrance in January did not help the team’s chances of success. Changes in coaching throughout the season are never ideal, particularly if the new coach doesn’t get along well with majority of the players. However, Ham has had a lot of experience with the team’s core.

Although Rivers and Ham haven’t worked together, their decades of experience should help them gain chemistry quickly. Even if they don’t, though, Milwaukee still has the talent to overcome coaching issues.

Budenholzer, for example, was fired just two years after the 2021 championship. NBA insiders claimed that the coach had fallen out of favor with Antetokounmpo after the Bucks’ unexpected first-round exit in 2023, via Sports Illustrated.

Although the “Greek Freak’s” relationship with Rivers might not necessarily be any better, the superstar and his teammates have shown the ability to thrive in that type of situation anyway. Ham’s presence can only help in that regard, as long as the mutual respect from their past is still there.