Report: Ham's tinkering causing rift within Lakers

Darvin Ham's tweaks aren't going over well with Los Angeles Lakers players.

The head coach's frequent changes to the rotation and starting lineup have created a rift between the 50-year-old and the Lakers' locker room, six sources told The Athletic's Shams Charania and Jovan Buha. This disconnect has reportedly led to questions about Ham's standing with the team.

Ham deployed his 10th different starting lineup of the season in Wednesday's 110-96 loss to the Miami Heat, who were playing without star Jimmy Butler for the sixth time in their last seven games. Alongside Anthony Davis and LeBron James, Ham started Taurean Prince, Cam Reddish, and Austin Reaves.

Los Angeles' most frequently used opening five - Davis, James, Prince, Reddish, and D'Angelo Russell - has started 12 matchups together but none since a Dec. 20 loss to the Chicago Bulls. Multiple individuals within the team were confused by Ham's subsequent decision to demote Russell to the bench, sources told Charania and Buha.

Following that loss, Ham shuffled multiple players in and out of the starting lineup, including Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt. However, the Lakers have gone 2-4 in their last six. They're in an overall dire stretch since winning the NBA Cup on Dec. 9, having mustered three total wins in those 12 games.

Speaking to reporters postgame Wednesday, Ham said the Lakers wouldn't be able to establish continuity until their lineup is fully healthy, suggesting the respective injury absences of Russell, Hachimura, and Gabe Vincent are hindering the squad.

However, Davis pushed back on that notion after the loss.

"Guys being out is not an excuse," the Lakers star forward said. "There are no excuses for us. Like coach said (pregame), we have enough in this locker room to win, but we just have to go out and compete."