Despite bringing back the core of the roster that made it to the Western Conference Finals, the Los Angeles Lakers largely struggled during the 2023-24 season as they needed another late-season surge to qualify for the postseason.
The Lakers finished the regular season in eighth place and earned a spot in the playoffs after beating the New Orleans Pelican in the Play-In Tournament to secure the seventh seed. Unfortunately, Los Angeles was awarded with a matchup against the Denver Nuggets, who took care of them in five games.
Shortly after the series was over, the Lakers decided to fire head coach Darvin Ham and his staff. Several players seemed to take exception with how Ham ran the team, including Anthony Davis whose frustration with Ham reportedly contributed to his dismissal.
Taurean Prince knew Ham well during their time together with the Atlanta Hawks and he reflected on his former head coach’s firing.
“Yeah, Darvin Ham is obviously someone I’m super close with,” Prince said in an interview with Lakers Nation. “As far as for him, I know he’ll be good, he’s a super head strong type of guy and doesn’t let a lot of things get to him.
“So as far as the Lakers, I think it’s an opportunity for them to seek somebody to obviously help them get to where the goal is to get to and I pray the best obviously for both situations. Being a free agent, obviously I want to be here, but like I said, wherever the dominoes fall, that’s where they’re gonna fall. I wish the best to Darvin Ham.”
Ham’s insistence on playing Prince heavy minutes during the regular season was a confusing decision after it was clear he was being asked to do too much on the floor. Prince looked much better off the bench playing limited minutes as he was simply asked to space the floor and guard bigger wings instead of initiating his own offense.
While it’s encouraging to hear that Prince would like to stay in Los Angeles despite Ham no longer being on the sidelines, it remains to be seen if the front office feels the same about the forward.
Taurean Prince pleased to stay healthy with Lakers during 2023-24 season
One reason why Taurean Prince was such a valuable contributor for the Lakers last season is because he was one of the few players who were able to stay healthy. Prince himself acknowledged that he was pleased he was able to avoid any major injuries and stay on the floor.
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