Russell Westbrook didn’t get traded from the Lakers this offseason, however his function with the staff could possibly be altering in a significant method.
Again in July, the Lakers’ new coach, Darvin Ham, advised Marc Spears of Andscape that the mercurial 33-year-old level guard could be a starter and flourish in a brand new function. Now, that new function seems to imply presumably coming off the bench, in response to a report by The Athletic.
“The prospect of Westbrook coming off the bench is being strongly thought-about,” sources advised The Athletic’s Jovan Buha and Sam Amick.
That’s solely the newest indication that the Lakers want to shake issues up in a giant method after a depressing 33-49 report that was marred by accidents, disjointedness and lacking the playoffs simply two years after profitable the NBA title.
Final month, LA traded with the Jazz for guard Patrick Beverly. Then, Ham mentioned earlier this month at Beverly’s introductory press convention that he and Westbrook must earn beginning jobs, noting that he may see them beginning collectively “in the event that they play protection.”
And on Friday, the Lakers re-signed guard Dennis Schroder, who's in his second go-round with the staff after spending final season with the Celtics and Rockets. Schroder performed for LA in the course of the 2020-21 season however infamously turned down an $84 million extension to check the free agent waters and receives a commission considerably much less.
Now Schroder, who has a confirmed capability to play off the ball, is again and he joins Beverly, one other guard who doesn’t want touches, in what's all of a sudden a crowded and aggressive backcourt with the beginning of coaching camp every week away.
Westbrook averaged 18.5 factors final season, down almost 4 factors from the 12 months earlier than. His assists additionally dropped considerably, from an NBA-best 11.7 with the Wizards in 2020-21, to 7.1 final season with the Lakers. The decline in his play was among the many explanation why in January former NBA participant turned ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins mentioned it was time for him to come back off the bench.
But when Ham was requested about that chance throughout his introductory press convention in June, Westbrook, who was certainly one of a handful of Lakers’ gamers in attendance, chuckled on the thought. Ham mentioned that he’d spoken with Westbrook, although, and preached a willingness to sacrifice.
Now it appears we may discover out simply how a lot Westbrook, who exercised his $47.1 million possibility over the summer season to return to the Lakers, is prepared to sacrifice.
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