The Los Angeles Lakers have four of their five starters set in stone with LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell. However, the fifth spot remains up for grabs, but is likely to go to one of Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt and the recently-added Taurean Prince.
Prince was not seen as a starter when the Lakers signed him to a one-year contract in free agency. It was seen as a two-man race between Vanderbilt and Hachimura, but Prince has firmly planted himself in that mix with strong play during preseason and in training camp. His efforts have been noticed by everyone, including one of the team’s superstars in Davis.
Davis had plenty of praise for Prince and everything he’s brought to the Lakers thus far. He also mentioned the battle for the fifth starter and where he feels Prince fits within that conversation, via Khobi Price of the Southern California News Group:
“He’s a vet. True professional. Shooting the basketball very well in practice, games, he’s getting work in. A defender. He’s been great. I’m not sure who the starter is going to be, but I think he’s making a great case for himself.”
Prince is a career 37.2% shooter from beyond the arc and has shot above 38% from deep in four of his seven NBA seasons. He is also proving himself as a quality defender thus far, as Davis says. Having a true 3-and-D wing alongside James in any lineup is going to bring about positive results.
All three players in the battle for the fifth starter have unique positives and negatives. Prince is the prototype of a 3-and-D wing, but has struggled with consistency. Vanderbilt is by far the best defender of the group, but has yet to prove he can be a positive contributor on the offensive side of the ball.
Hachimura, meanwhile, is the best overall scorer and creator, but has struggled with decision-making on both ends of the court and may not be best suited to guard on the perimeter. It’s a tough battle that likely won’t be figured out until very close to the Lakers season opener on Oct. 24.
D’Angelo Russell says Prince has fit right in
Another player who has spoken highly of Prince so far is the starting guard Russell. He believes Prince has “fit right in” with the Lakers already, calling him a fearless competitor that has strengths on both ends of the floor. With all this praise, signs may be pointing to Prince winning the Opening Night starter job.
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