Lakers Coach Darvin Ham Addresses Team’s Roster Amid Trade Rumors

The Lakers are reportedly a landing spot for a potential Kyrie Irving trade, a move which would potentially alter the team’s roster for next season. But until a trade occurs, Los Angeles seems happy with who they’ve got.

Lakers head coach Darvin Ham told reporters Friday night that he is pleased with every player on the team.

“We love everyone on our roster,” Ham said, via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “And until you’re not on our roster, you’re ours and we're going to try to get better with the group that we have. That’s just the bottom line of it.”

Los Angeles hasn’t made too many moves that alter the team from last year. They have signed Lonnie Walker IV, Thomas Bryant, Damian Jones and Juan Toscano-Anderson to add depth, but the core of the team remains LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook.

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While Westbrook has been at the center of these Irving trade rumors, along with other members of the team, Ham doesn’t think that should discourage them.

“I don't know a player that’s come through this league in my 26 years that hasn’t had their name part of a trade rumor a time or two,” he said. “But, it is what it is. It’s the nature of the beast of our business. And so, again, the guys we have on our roster I’m very thankful for, I’m proud of and we want to maximize everything they can do to help us get to that ultimate goal.”

Any Irving trade would likely have to include sending Westbrook out just to create cap space, which is why those two are linked in these rumors. However, until a deal is done, Westbrook remains on the team, and Ham has already given the point guard several votes of confidence.

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