Speaking ahead of the game against the Bulls on Thursday, Lakers coach Darvin Ham finally provided some answers on his rotation decisions this season. Namely, he spoke about the starting lineup from last season (LeBron James, Anthony Davis, D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves and Jarred Vanderbilt) that came within 8 wins of an NBA championship and why that group has barely seen the floor together of late.
“Darvin Ham points to Taurean Prince’s durability and 3-point shooting, as well as Jarred Vanderbilt’s health, as the primary reasons he hasn’t used the team’s starting lineup from last season — D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, Vanderbilt, LeBron James and Anthony Davis — more,” wrote The Athletic’s Jovan Buha.
Taurean Prince is one of the Lakers’ summer additions and he’s been a favorite of Ham’s all season long. In 42 starts for the Lakers, Prince is averaging 9.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 0.9 steals per game on 42% shooting. those numbers do not stand out compared to other players but Prince has been a critical member of the Lakers this season — for better or worse.
Lakers Need A Spark
The Lakers felt pretty confident about their team after winning the in-season tournament this December. They went undefeated in the event and put the whole world on notice that they could still be a threat in the Western Conference. But ever since bringing home the Las Vegas trophy, it’s been nothing but chaos for the Lake Show. Going into tonight’s game against the Bulls, the Lakers rank 10th in the West with a 22-23 record and are showing no signs of a miraculous turnaround.
Besides LeBron James and Anthony Davis, fans are looking at D’Angelo Russell as the biggest source of the team’s struggles. His inconsistency has killed the Lakers and they need someone who can play well on both ends of the floor every single night. Of course, Darvin Ham is also the source of problems for them due to his questionable rotations and multiple lineup changes this year. Between the two of them, the learning curve will be steep for the Lakers but the wait for help may not be long with the trade deadline right around the corner…
Trade Options For 2024
With OG Anunoby and Terry Rozier now off the board for the foreseeable future, the Lakers will have to look elsewhere for some additional firepower. While they don’t have much to offer, D’Angelo Russell and a future fist could be enough to make something happen and several players have emerged as early trade candidates.
Pending a potential buyout from the Raptors, Bruce Brown is one swingman who makes the perfect fit for the Lakers. As an experienced two-way veteran with size and energy on the court, he could really shore up LA’s frontcourt with some additional wing depth. In Atlanta, 1x All-Star guard Dejounte Murray could also be up for grabs and he would be a major upgrade from Russell if the Lakers can get him to play defense again.
So far this season, no trades have materialized for the Lakers and it’s possible that they do nothing at all to avoid making any type of panic move. But in a world where LeBron James is so close to the end of his career, there really isn’t any time to waste on subpar seasons and they need to take action before it’s too late.
“Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We really appreciate your support”
