Lakers reportedly have ‘disjointedness’ between Darvin Ham, players amid recent struggles

National Basketball Association

Updated Jan. 4, 2024 12:20 p.m. ET

The Lakers appear to be dealing with some tension within the organization as their skid following the In-Season Tournament title continued on Wednesday.

The team and coach Darvin Ham have had a growing “disconnect” as of late with a “disjointedness” occurring between the coach and players due to recent rotation changes, The Athletic reported Thursday.

Ahead of losing for the ninth time in 12 games on Wednesday, Ham deployed a third different starting lineup in as many games. He opted to start Austin Reaves for the second time since he was moved to the bench in early November, but that didn’t work as they lost to the Jimmy Butler-less Heat, 110-96. The loss dropped the Lakers to 17-18 on the season, sitting in 10th place in the Western Conference standings.

Ham’s change to the starting lineup on Wednesday was the 10th time this season he’s tinkered with the starting group. In the four games prior to Wednesday’s loss, Ham opted not to start a point guard, benching D’Angelo Russell in a move that multiple people within the organization thought was a “head-scratcher,” according to The Athletic.

The Lakers struggled offensively Wednesday, hitting just four of 30 3-pointers as they shot 42.2% from the field. As the Lakers lost again, Ham referenced the injuries the team has dealt with recently. They’ve been without point guard Gabe Vincent since October and were without Russell plus Rui Hachimura on Wednesday, causing him to say that the team “can’t find any consistency until we get healthy.”

“I think the multiples [rotation players] are more impactful than … if you lose one of your big dogs, you’re going to figure out how to try and manage without them,” Ham told reporters, comparing the Lakers’ health situation to the Heat’s.” And when you have your key role players, your key rotation players — this guy misses three or four. This guy misses three or four. And they’re happening one right after another, that’s what makes it difficult. … We’ve got to figure it out. I’m disappointed, but I’ll be damned if I get discouraged.”

What is the cause of Lakers woes since winning the In-Season Tournament?

Lakers star LeBron James, who scored a season-low 12 points after going 6-for-18 from the field, declined to speak to reporters following Wednesday’s shortcoming. Anthony Davis, meanwhile, continued his hot stretch on Wednesday, totaling 29 points and 17 rebounds. But as he’s averaged 30 points and 12.3 rebounds per game since the In-Season Tournament, Davis has also grown frustrated with the Lakers’ recent failures and isn’t buying the health excuse, saying “everyone is capable” of playing better than they have as of later.

“It’s a little bit of everything right now. We’re not executing,” Davis told reporters. “That team played harder than us tonight, executed better than us tonight, more physical than us tonight. We got outworked tonight, so it’s a bit of everything right now. If we keep on this train, it’s not going to be good for us.

“It’s kind of obvious that we have to figure it out sooner rather than later. Guys being out is no excuse. There’s no excuses for us. Every guy in this locker room is here to win, but we just have to go out and compete.”

Reaves, who scored 24 points and had eight assists in his return to the startling lineup, said that the team’s mood was “s—ty.”

“We’re losing,” Reaves told reporters. “Anytime you lose, the vibe should be off, you know? If I went in [the locker room] and the vibe wasn’t off after the rough stretch that we’ve had, then I’d be concerned. That’s really it. You know, I don’t expect for us to be happy with how we’ve played. So, until we figure that out, you know, the vibe should be off. We got to win games.”

Reaves later said that the team gets along with each other, just that the vibe of the locker room was off because of the team’s recent struggles.

Whether Reaves, who became one of the favorites to win Sixth Man of the Year following his move to the bench, remains in the starting lineup is unclear. But Ham is keeping his options open.

“I think everything is on the table that makes sense,” Ham said. “No stone shall go unturned. We’re here to explore whatever we can to right the ship.”

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National Basketball Association

Los Angeles Lakers