“But once Hachimura arrived in training camp, he didn’t embrace the role-player duties the coaching staff wanted from him — being fully engaged defensively, boxing out hard, making the extra pass,”
If this is true that’s insane, who does Rui think he is lmao
Glad it changed but that’s not the attitude to have on a LeBron team
LongTimesGoodTimes
That’s a fair reason to bench someone. Especially a role player. You don’t have to be great at everything but you have to try to play your role.
MrIce97
I’m curious if it’s true or not.
Ok_Board9845
Regardless, it’s not like Prince does any of the small things like boxing out or rebounding any better than Rui. I’ve seen Prince stand and stare at the ball more often than not. And I think Rui is a better shooter at this point.
But it would be weird for someone like Rui to have that type of ego after just one playoff run especially on a Lebron team and after working out the entire summer with Lebron. None of these issues would’ve came up if Vanderbilt never got injured though.
donta5k0kay
Yeah and he just so happened to do all these things when the lakers were on a losing streak
All makes sense
lovo17
Ok cool, it’s fine to bench him to send a message, but at some point you also have to recognize that starting Prince wasn’t working, yet Ham kept starting him for far too long.
NoPin5154
I don’t believe this
Electronic-Cloud8086
So why did Taurean still start over Vando in January?? Sounds like BS to me.
AdministrativeDig845
I’m calling cap. Prince started the second game of pre-season and was part of the rotation ever since.
They even started some games with Rui and Prince together. Wtf
gratitudeisbs
Ham’s camp backpedaling like a MF after they got bullied into starting Rui and Rui way outplayed Prince
tennischmp
🧢
TorontoRaptors34
I doubt this is true if anyone believes this crap u cray
outsidehere
Nah I don’t believe that’s why. I think Ham started Prince over Rui because of his history with Prince
MrAppleSpoink
To Taurean’s credit, in the last 5-10 games his rebounding in particular has DRASTICALLY improved.
That does not, however, explain this occurring at the beginning of the season when Taurean was maybe the worst rebounder at his height I’d ever seen.
xxDankerstein
This kind of reads like Ham leaking and throwing Rui under the bus to save face.
Coldcocksandwich
FAKE NEWS
CultExterminator
Doesn’t make any sense. Its not like Taurean was filling that role either. Ham just gave the starting spot to someone he had a better relationship with.
Transluminal_light
Not boxing out or being engaged defensively? Doesn’t that pretty much describe the whole team? This sounds like CYA stuff leaking from Ham’s camp. Lakers are a better team even with Rui’s issues. All the players have issues.
TorontoRaptors34
This has to be complete bullshit Rui does not come off entitled one bit he jus does his job and keeps his head down. Imo Ham is the clear problem here anyone who doesn’t think so is wild. Even if some is true Prince was not the answer at all. U saw how the teams much better without Prince.
hennyV
Rui hit pieces. Really?
oshinla
It’s been obvious ham is nowhere near comfortable being a head coach. His safety blanket has been players he’s had previous relationships with
magneticyields
even if true, Ham still benched him and restricted his minutes to the massive detriment to the team by playing lesser players in his place.
fractal_fables
Ham is the guy who told his team to get back on defense instead of going for offensive rebounds so this sounds like bullshit. Also, Rui just being a pure scoring threat is far more valuable then TP out their as a traffic cone. TP doesn’t box out or rebound either. This sounds like nonsense.
Wilt69
Funny cause Prince is allergic to rebounding and gets blown by defensively nearly every possession.
Rui was always the far better player. Prince won the starting lineup spot because he’s a former player Ham coached.
gergab1133
Rui would still be great in a 6th man role, his shot creation off the bench is much needed.
vandiger
I wouldn’t even complain if I saw good defense or rebounding. He sucks at it.
26 Comments
“But once Hachimura arrived in training camp, he didn’t embrace the role-player duties the coaching staff wanted from him — being fully engaged defensively, boxing out hard, making the extra pass,”
If this is true that’s insane, who does Rui think he is lmao
Glad it changed but that’s not the attitude to have on a LeBron team
That’s a fair reason to bench someone. Especially a role player. You don’t have to be great at everything but you have to try to play your role.
I’m curious if it’s true or not.
Regardless, it’s not like Prince does any of the small things like boxing out or rebounding any better than Rui. I’ve seen Prince stand and stare at the ball more often than not. And I think Rui is a better shooter at this point.
But it would be weird for someone like Rui to have that type of ego after just one playoff run especially on a Lebron team and after working out the entire summer with Lebron. None of these issues would’ve came up if Vanderbilt never got injured though.
Yeah and he just so happened to do all these things when the lakers were on a losing streak
All makes sense
Ok cool, it’s fine to bench him to send a message, but at some point you also have to recognize that starting Prince wasn’t working, yet Ham kept starting him for far too long.
I don’t believe this
So why did Taurean still start over Vando in January?? Sounds like BS to me.
I’m calling cap. Prince started the second game of pre-season and was part of the rotation ever since.
They even started some games with Rui and Prince together. Wtf
Ham’s camp backpedaling like a MF after they got bullied into starting Rui and Rui way outplayed Prince
🧢
I doubt this is true if anyone believes this crap u cray
Nah I don’t believe that’s why. I think Ham started Prince over Rui because of his history with Prince
To Taurean’s credit, in the last 5-10 games his rebounding in particular has DRASTICALLY improved.
That does not, however, explain this occurring at the beginning of the season when Taurean was maybe the worst rebounder at his height I’d ever seen.
This kind of reads like Ham leaking and throwing Rui under the bus to save face.
FAKE NEWS
Doesn’t make any sense. Its not like Taurean was filling that role either. Ham just gave the starting spot to someone he had a better relationship with.
Not boxing out or being engaged defensively? Doesn’t that pretty much describe the whole team? This sounds like CYA stuff leaking from Ham’s camp. Lakers are a better team even with Rui’s issues. All the players have issues.
This has to be complete bullshit Rui does not come off entitled one bit he jus does his job and keeps his head down. Imo Ham is the clear problem here anyone who doesn’t think so is wild. Even if some is true Prince was not the answer at all. U saw how the teams much better without Prince.
Rui hit pieces. Really?
It’s been obvious ham is nowhere near comfortable being a head coach. His safety blanket has been players he’s had previous relationships with
even if true, Ham still benched him and restricted his minutes to the massive detriment to the team by playing lesser players in his place.
Ham is the guy who told his team to get back on defense instead of going for offensive rebounds so this sounds like bullshit. Also, Rui just being a pure scoring threat is far more valuable then TP out their as a traffic cone. TP doesn’t box out or rebound either. This sounds like nonsense.
Funny cause Prince is allergic to rebounding and gets blown by defensively nearly every possession.
Rui was always the far better player. Prince won the starting lineup spot because he’s a former player Ham coached.
Rui would still be great in a 6th man role, his shot creation off the bench is much needed.
I wouldn’t even complain if I saw good defense or rebounding. He sucks at it.