Darvin Ham dropping big hint about Lakers’ starting lineup this season?
Apr. 7, 2012; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Darvin Ham against the Phoenix Suns at the US Airways Center. The Suns defeated the Lakers 125-105. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
New Los Angeles Lakers coach Darvin Ham may be tipping his hand early.
Ham told reporters on Friday that there has been one particular starting lineup that he has used in training camp the most often thus far — Russell Westbrook, Kendrick Nunn, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Damian Jones. Ham did add however that he has not yet decided on a five-man group, per Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
Most notably, that early training camp lineup features Westbrook (around whom there has been some doubt as to if he will start again this season) and Nunn, who missed all of 2021-22 with a bone bruise in his knee. Though the Lakers would likely be far better defensively with Patrick Beverley starting instead of Nunn, Ham did speak highly of Nunn’s defensive work in camp.
Ham noted how well Nunn has played offensively, scoring at all three levels, and added that defensively, he’s like a water bug out there, and can “Squeeze through pick and rolls, avoid screens, contest.”
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) September 30, 2022
The Lakers have plenty of options at their disposal as that training-camp five does not even feature new additions like Dennis Schroder (whom the team recently reunited with), Lonnie Walker IV, and Troy Brown Jr. There are even two additional summer standouts who did not make that cut either.