Darvin Ham gives strange explanation for Austin Reaves’ minutes

Dec 13, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) warms up prior to the game against the Boston Celtics at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Lakers are riding an active four-game losing streak, and head coach Darvin Ham isn’t doing himself any favors right now either.

The Lakers lost again on Thursday night, falling 118-111 to the Minnesota Timberwolves (albeit without LeBron James on the second end of a back-to-back). Following the game, Ham was questioned by reporters about the fairly low playing time of Austin Reaves, who only got 27 minutes off the bench but was one of the best players on the floor, finishing with 20 points, eight rebounds, and five assists.

Ham replied that he prefers to keep Reaves in the 27-to-28-minute range so that he will stay fresh and efficient, per Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

While that move might make sense for an older player, Reaves is 25 years old and in just his third career season. He also comes off the bench for the Lakers (which should, in theory, keep him fresh already) and figured to have more to offer with James out on Thursday, especially with five other Lakers seeing 34 minutes or more.

Reaves has admittedly struggled at times with his shot this season and was moved to the bench by Ham after a brutal first eight games of the year. But the Lakers are far better on both sides of the basketball when Reaves is on the floor. For Ham, who has already had other decisions questioned this season, playing Reaves more than the 29.4 minutes per game that he is averaging overall might help the Lakers break out of their current funk.