The Los Angeles Lakers‘ season thus far has been a wild ride. After winning the In-season tournament, their performance has since taken a nosedive. Amid this mediocre season, head coach Darvin Ham’s desperate attempts to switch things up within the roster have yielded surprising results, albeit unfavorable. The most shocking of these moves was the decision to relegate Austin Reaves to a bench role. Last season, Reaves played a pivotal role in propelling the Lakers to the Western Conference Finals, establishing himself as a crucial component alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

However, the tables have turned this season. As per insights from a Lakers insider, there is more to the situation than just a simple reshuffling of the starting lineup.

The Lakers are not happy with the changes in the starting lineup

The Lakers’ current starting lineup looks very different from the starting five that led the team to the Conference Finals last season. After making it to the WC finals, the team wanted to run back the same starting lineup. However, HC Darvin Ham had different plans. They are running a whole new offensive system, and the six players who were part of that run have all seen their roles jumbled and have reportedly only played 1 minute together this season. As a result, “Their [Lakers roster] patience with Ham is wearing thin,” wrote Irwin.

With James approaching his 39th birthday and Davis’ affinity for injuries, the Lakers were expecting Reaves to provide some stability to the team. However, that has not been the case. Not only is Reaves coming off the bench, but he has also been restricted to less than 30 minutes of playing time this season. This has led many to question whether there is a strained relationship between the coach and the 25-year-old.

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Why is Austin Reaves on minute restriction?

Darvin Ham explained that Reaves was on a minute restriction to keep him fresh and efficient. However, many found this absurd since Reaves is 25 years old and in just his third season of his career. In addition, considering that he is coming off the bench, that should naturally keep him fresh. Interestingly, James, who is in his 21st season, is playing full minutes in almost every game. Therefore, some would argue that he is the one who needs more rest.

Newark Local Austin Reaves Gets Brutally Honest on Los Angeles Lifestyle

Anthony Irwin shed light on the current situation, “This possible thing between [Reaves] and Ham is… something. I’m here to tell you, I’ve heard it very clearly, that for whatever reason, Ham doesn’t mess with Austin the way that you would think he would.”

Do you think there is a beef brewing between the Lakers HC and Austin Reaves? Let us know in the comments!

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