Lakers final month stock watch: 2 risers, 2 fallers
By Will Eudy
Faller: Taurean Prince
Coming over to Los Angeles from Minnesota last summer, Taurean Prince signed with the Lakers on a minimum deal after the Timberwolves opted not to keep him. His addition was one of several moves that led many to believe LA had pulled off a dream offseason to put them right back in the mix as a Western Conference contender once again.
To start the season, Head Coach Darvin Ham opted to go with Prince as a regular starter, with the belief that his three-point shooting prowess and defensive capability would make him a more than serviceable option in the front court as the Lakers' starting power forward. While he was never downright terrible, Ham would eventually figure it better to put Taurean with the bench unit given some of his shooting struggles.
Opting to go with Rui Hachimura in the starting unit has proved a big success for the Lakers thus far, and Prince's minutes have been dwindling as a result. It has been a stark reminder that there was a reason he came to LA on a minimum deal, and was never supposed to be a big contributor. As the regular season draws to a close, Prince's playing time and on-court contributions will likely become even more minute.