Lakers News: Darvin Ham Still Cagey About Starting 5

Plenty of decisions to make.

Second-year Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham faces a difficult, albeit good problem ahead of the team's season opener against the reigning champion Denver Nuggets next week. 

Ham fielded questions about a possible starting lineup for LA against Denver but refused to give a concrete answer considering the talent in his rotation. 

Darvin Ham still not ready to reveal who starts for the Lakers at small forward on opening night (Oct. 24).

“Next question,” he said jokingly when asked after Tuesday’s practice.

Taurean Prince has had the most time with the starters, but Rui Hachimura + Jarred Vanderbilt, if…

— Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) October 17, 2023

Vanderbilt remains out of preseason action due to a heel injury and Ham's choice for his remaining frontcourt starter remains a challenge as a result. 

Hachimura dominated in last year's postseason run to the Western Conference Finals as a key piece to LA's series wins against Golden State and Memphis. 

Prince's preseason also deserves consideration for a starting spot after he's continued to get better as a solid 3&D option that GM Rob Pelinka signed him for. 

What is guaranteed is that LeBron James, D'Angelo Russell, Anthony Davis and Austin Reaves will be starting in Denver but the fifth man to begin the game is very much up in the air. 

Ham utilized Vanderbilt as a key defender to start games in the 2023 playoffs but often finished with Hachimura as a scoring punch down the stretch. 

The defensive-minded forward's foot injury complicates such a matter and Hachimura may need to step into an unfamiliar role with LA as a starter. 

Prince has some starting experience as a veteran for multiple teams, but his skill set likely serves better as a backup forward as well. 

Each of these forwards provides different skills for the Lakers in a starting capacity but only one can join Ham's starting five with the first game of the year fast approaching. 

Whether it's Vanderbilt, Hachimura or Prince, Ham's starting five will hope to upset the Nuggets as the first step on their road to banner #18 in 2024

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