Lakers News: Darvin Ham Explains Controversial Starting Decision

The fans have sure been curious.

Fans recently have been wondering why Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham, while hopping between a variety of "permanent" starting lineups around his All-Star tandem of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, has seemed less than interested in trotting out the first five he employed at the end of the 2022-23 season and through all but one game of the 2023 playoffs.

That group comprised guards D'Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves, forwards Jarred Vanderbilt and James, and center Davis. 

Per Jovan Buha of The Athletic, Ham explained that he remains committed to starting Taurean Prince among his first five, while he has shifted around the other three non-All-Stars players in as starters and bench pieces throughout the year. Ham claims that he likes Prince's availability and his floor-spacing as a three-point shooter (he's making 39.1% of his 5.5 triple tries a game). The second-year head coach also blamed health issues for Vanderbilt, who is only now in January truly rounding into his top athletic form this year.

Next up for this first five is a matchup against the 19-23 Golden State Warriors, whom LA vanquished in a six-game Western Conference semifinals series last spring. Like its Pacific Division opponent, Golden State has fallen short of media and fan expectations ahead of the 2023-24 season, and is currently out of the play-in picture.