Lakers news: Darvin Ham knows his fifth starter, LeBron James and Rui Hachimura, Jalen Hood-Schifino praise

EL SEGUNDO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 02: Rui Hachimura #28 of the Los Angeles Lakers during Los Angeles Lakers media day at UCLA Health Training Center on October 02, 2023 in El Segundo, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
EL SEGUNDO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 02: Rui Hachimura #28 of the Los Angeles Lakers during Los Angeles Lakers media day at UCLA Health Training Center on October 02, 2023 in El Segundo, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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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.

Fans are already learning a lot about this team before they even take the court in a preseason game. There are several exciting (and intriguing) storylines that fans should be following ahead of the team’s first preseason game this Saturday.

Lakers news roundup:

  • 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.
  • LeBron James has taken Rui Hachimura under his wing and has been nothing but complimentary towards the young forward. LeBron said that Hachimura was the only teammate who “tagged along” with him this summer and that he even traveled with James to get workouts in.
  • Rookie guard Jalen Hood-Schifino has been turning heads during the early portions of training camp. Both D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves had nothing but great things to say about JHS, while Ham said that nobody would disagree if he called him the MVP of day one.

NBA news roundup:

  • The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported that the Clippers offered the 76ers a package of salary fillers, an unprotected first and a pick swap for James Harden this summer. The 76ers rejected the offer and reportedly covey Mann, who the Clippers did not offer in initial talks.
  • Joel Embiid committed to playing for Team USA in the 2024 Paris Olympics. LeBron James has publicly spearheaded the Olympic roster and Embiid joins Kevin Durant as another superstar who has hard-committed to playing.
  • According to Jamal Collier of ESPN, the Chicago Bulls are unsure if guard Lonzo Ball will ever play for the team again. Ball has had multiple surgeries on his knee and has not played since January of 2022. Ball will miss the 2023-24 season and he has a player option for the 2024-25 season.

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