LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Where the Stars Come to Play
Posted October 5, 2023 | 4:09 PM PT
EL SEGUNDO -- The journey to the 18th title in franchise history has officially begun as the Los Angeles Lakers have broken camp for the 2023-24 season. There is a long journey ahead but after weeks of stagnation, there is finally something for fans to discuss.
There is going to be a lot of Lakers news as the team gears up for the start of the regular season both in training camp and in the preseason games. This is truly a time to learn a lot about the team when the outcomes don’t matter at all.
There are several exciting (and intriguing) storylines that fans should be following ahead of the team’s first preseason game this Saturday.
Who Will Be The Fifth Starter?
Darvin Ham revealed that he knows who the Lakers’ fifth starter will be for the 2023-24 season but has not revealed it yet. There are several candidates for Ham to consider, with the winner of the job starting alongside LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell. Jarred Vanderbilt appears to be the fans’ choice.
Vanderbilt does appear to be the most likely candidate as he meshes with the offensive-based starting unit best as the team's most effective perimeter wing defender.
Rui Hachimura is also a candidate to be the fifth starter as he is coming off an impressive postseason run averaging 12.2 ppg while shooting an incredible 55.7% from the field and 48.7% from three.
Lastly, the newly acquired Taurean Prince is an established role player who has been successful on multiple teams throughout his NBA career. At media day he set a goal essentially guaranteeing greatness of himself stating that “he will 100% shoot 40% from three this upcoming season.” ...we'll see about that.
Can Max Christie Break Into the Rotation?
“Max Christie is a dog!” says center Jaxson Hayes. “His game has stood out a lot to me in training camp."
Christie, the second-year pro, is facing the challenge of competing with veterans like Cam Reddish and Taurean Prince, along with starting guard Austin Reaves for minutes -- but his play in training camp has been outstanding.
"It's on Max to earn those minutes," says coach Darvin Ham. "He's got the skill to do it, too."
During Summer League, Christie, put the Lakers on notice that he is willing to work for a role on this stacked team by averaging 19 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists over three games. He shot 45.7% from the field and 50% from three-point range.
Is D'Moi Hodge a Serious Contender to Make the Roster?
D’Moi Hodge signed with the Lakers as an undrafted free agent following the 2023 NBA Draft. Lakers fans instantly compared Hodge’s game to that of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, with Hodge later confirming that he models his game after KCP.
Hodge’s strong perimeter defense and smooth three-point stroke instantly give him value as a potential NBA rotation player. That is what allowed him to thrive in the Summer League for the Lakers while it also netted him a two-way deal in LA.