Getty LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Los Angeles Lakers are not shying away from their current plight.
They are just 1-4 in their last five games, with two wins since Christmas. And they are 4-10 since winning the In-Season Tournament.
In that, decisions about head coach Darvin Ham‘s changes to the starting lineup – most recently sending D’Angelo Russell to the bench – came with input from the team’s stars. That is a notable distinction amid reports of wavering faith in the second-year head coach.
“In his place, Ham went with a big, switchable group of Davis, James, [Jarred] Vanderbilt, [Cam] Reddish and Taurean Prince, hoping to up the team’s defensive impact,” wrote Dave McMenamin of ESPN on January 9. “The lineup change, sources told ESPN, was not a unilateral decision — Ham consulted with James and Davis on the concept.”
I know a lot of people don’t want to hear this but… Darvin Ham is fixing a lot of his problems the past couple games
Lineups are making sense, Playcalling is improved
Tonight is one of the first times in a few weeks I’m really excited for a Lakers game
“There’s currently a deepening disconnect between Darvin Ham and the Lakers locker room,” Shams Charania and Jovan Buha of The Athletic wrote on January 4. “The disjointedness … has stemmed from the extreme rotation and starting lineup adjustments recently from Ham.”
Ham previously touted his standing with the front office and the team’s stars amid the rumors.
Darvin Ham Reacts to Rumors of Lakers Disconnect Over Lineup Shakeup
“I’m solid,” Ham said of his standing within the organization, per McMenamin on January 5. “My governor, Jeanie Buss, the boss lady; our president, Robert Pelinka — we’re all aligned. As long as they’re not saying it, I guess I’m good. Which I know how they feel about me and the situation we’re currently in.”
Ham, McMenamin notes, does still have support within the organization. That is in large part because of his ability to withstand the spotlight that comes with his position.
The head coach said as much too, noting it “comes with the territory”, per McMenamin.
LeBron James on how Darvin Ham has managed the team’s recent ups and downs: “By just staying and trying to keep us prepared when it’s time to go out and for battle.”
James commended Russell, who missed three games with a tailbone injury, for providing a boost off the bench in the win over the Los Angeles Clippers on January 7.
“It was great to D Lo back. That helped,” James said via House of Highlights. “Vando gave us a huge spark off the bench. [Christian] Wood gave us a huge spark off the bench. And also Max [Christie] too.”
Lakers Still Expected to be Patient Ahead of Trade Deadline
Lineup changes aside, the Lakers are still not in any hurry to make significant changes to their roster with the trade deadline roughly one month out.
“The Lakers don’t want to have to make a big move,” wrote ESPN’s Brian Windhorst in a roundtable discussion on January 9. “They believe in the formula they have, which is a cadre of long defenders supporting future Hall of Famers. … If they end up doing something significant, it’ll probably be kicking and screaming.”
James “patience has been tested,” per McMenamin.
“But he figures his best response to the slump is to lead by example on and off the court and hope everyone in the organization applies the same standard,” McMenamin wrote.
The underlying concern with that is James’ heavy workload. Ham tried to limit the 19-time All-Star’s minutes through this early part of the season. James, who has appeared in no more than 56 games in any of the last three seasons, has missed just three games so far this season.