BREAKING: Los Angeles Lakers 5th Starter Revealed

The Los Angeles Lakers will play their first game of the season on October 24 against the Denver Nuggets.

On October 24, the Los Angeles Lakers will play their first game of the 2023-24 regular season when they visit the Denver Nuggets in Colorado.   

For the game, head coach Darvin Ham revealed that Taurean Prince will be the team's fifth starter. 

Via ESPN's Dave McMenamin: "Darvin Ham says Taurean Prince will start on opening night. Calls the start “circumstantial.” Jarred Vanderbilt remains day to day with his heel but Ham says “in all likelihood” Vando will not be available on Tuesday."

Darvin Ham says Taurean Prince will start on opening night. Calls the start “circumstantial.” Jarred Vanderbilt remains day to day with his heel but Ham says “in all likelihood” Vando will not be available on Tuesday.

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) October 21, 2023

Prince spent this past season with the Minnesota Timberwolves and averaged 9.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists per contest while shooting 46.7% from the field and 38.1% from the three-point range.

Darvin Ham says Taurean Prince will start at small forward on opening night. He says it’s partly circumstantial due to Jarred Vanderbilt’s injury.

— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) October 21, 2023

He was initially the 12th pick in the 2016 NBA Draft out of Baylor and has spent seven seasons in the league playing for the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers (and Timberwolves). 

His career averages are 10.4 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per contest while shooting 42.1% from the field and 37.2% from the three-point range in 424 regular season games (he has also appeared in 16 NBA playoff games). 

This summer, Prince became a free agent, and he signed a deal with the Lakers. 

Taurean Prince goes for 35 Pts with 8 3-pointers in the Timberwolves win over the Knicks at MSG.

Prince is the 7th player in NBA history to go 8-8 or better on 3-pointers in a game, joining:

Ben Gordon (2x)
Jeff Hornacek
Sam Perkins
Steve Smith
Latrell Sprewell
Michael Finley pic.twitter.com/IiyTVV3v0R

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) March 21, 2023

The Lakers are coming off a year where they were the seventh seed in the Western Conference with a 43-39 record.  

They beat the Memphis Grizzlies (second seed) and Golden State Warriors (sixth seed) in the first two rounds of the NBA playoffs. 

However, the Lakers lost to the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals. 

More on the Los Angeles Lakers can be read here