"Next question": Darvin Ham refuses to name Taurean Prince as final Lakers starter as he raves about star's performance against Warriors
Taurean Prince was among the best players on the court as the Los Angeles Lakers fell to the Golden State Warriors 129-125. The Lakers have now lost two of their four preseason games, both against Golden State. Prince is a new addition to the Purple and Gold, joining the team during the offseason.
When speaking to the media as part of his post-game press conference, Lakers head coach Darvin Ham refused to be drawn on whether Prince's performance has earned him a starting spot with the team.
When asked, Ham replied, "Next question."
Prince played at a high level on both sides of the court. On offense, the veteran forward shot 83.3% from the field while converting four of his five 3-point shots, ending the game with 17 points. Prince also played high-level defense and provided the Lakers with a willing help defender who understood when to rotate over and when to stay with his man.
The Lakers have a deep roster this season. Rob Pelinka added multiple new faces during the summer. As such, there is heavy competition for minutes within the rotation. Prince has improved his chances of becoming a starter for his new team with his preseason performances, yet it would appear Ham is keeping his cards close to his chest.
Taurean Prince praises his Los Angeles Lakers teammates
Despite their loss to the Golden State Warriors, six members of the Los Angeles Lakers rotation ended the game with double-digit scoring. During his post-game media availability, Prince spoke glowingly of his new teammates and praised the talent level within the roster.
"100% (Multiple players can average double-figures in a game.) Especially when the roster is as deep as it is. Anybody's night can be any given night. I think that's the great thing about having a lot of players, and being able to throw a verity of lineups out there. You never know who's night it's going to be."
The Lakers have two preseason games remaining on their schedule. Los Angeles will face the Milwaukee Bucks on October 16 before wrapping up their preparations with a game against Western Conference powerhouse the Phoenix Suns on October 20.
Taurean Prince's veteran know-how and willingness to embrace physicality have been welcomed additions to the Lakers' on-court production. Still, Prince must continue performing at the elite level he displayed against the Warriors if he wants to earn a starting role on Darvin Ham's team.
Whether he starts or comes off the bench, it's becoming clear that Prince has a big role to play in the upcoming season and could be one of the better under-the-radar additions of the summer.