Former Hawks assistant Chris Jent joins Darvin Ham’s Lakers coaching staff

The Lakers have hired Chris Jent to be an assistant coach on the staff of new coach Darvin Ham, according to people with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

Jent, who had been an assistant coach with Atlanta, worked with Ham when both were assistants with the Hawks.

New Lakers assistant coach Chris Jent worked with LeBron James during his time as an assistant with the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2006-10.

(John Amis / Associated Press)

Jent also has ties with LeBron James as an assistant coach with the Cleveland Cavaliers when James played there from 2006 to 2010.

Jent, 52, had been with the Hawks for the last five seasons, and he was the acting coach last season when head coach Nate McMillan was placed in the NBA’s health and safety protocols.

Quinton Crawford, who had been hired by Ham as an assistant coach, has instead decided to become an assistant on the staff for Dallas head coach Jason Kidd, according to those people with knowledge of the situation, while Rasheed Wallace and Jordan Ott are in Ham’s pool of candidates for assistants.