As we discussed earlier today, the Lakers are feeling urgency to make moves to get their season back on track. One major factor in that urgency has been the poor fit of Russell Westbrook, and there’s a growing sense of frustration between the player and team, writes Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
Westbrook has been abysmal through four games in February, averaging 10.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 3.5 turnovers on .275/.154/.550 shooting in 31.1 minutes per contest. As Buha details, Westbrook was benched not just for the last few minutes, but for the final 14:34 of the 131-116 loss to Milwaukee Tuesday, showing L.A.’s decaying confidence in the guard.
Head coach Frank Vogel couldn’t pinpoint why Westbrook has struggled so much of late, but said the trio of Westbrook, LeBron James and Anthony Davis hasn’t meshed well in the limited games they’ve played together.
“It’s tough to say,” Vogel said. “He wasn’t that bad. The group that was making a run, we just left them in there in the fourth, aside from bringing Bron back. Had a tough night the other night, and a tough night shooting the ball tonight, but I thought he was competing. And the lineups have changed. He’s playing without AD one time on the road, and without AD and Bron, and without Bron, he’s got the ball a lot more, and it’s easier to get in a rhythm. And that’s how he’s played.
“But all those three guys are out there at the same time, it’s different. There’s less touches, and everybody’s out there sharing. So maybe tougher to get into a rhythm, but that’s one of the things we’re working through.”
For his part, Westbrook believes the team’s inconsistency is due to Vogel’s constantly fluctuating lineups, per Buha.
“It’s difficult,” Westbrook said. “You never know when you’re coming in. You never know when you’re coming out. You never know when you’re playing. You never know a bunch of things. And I’m speaking for me personally. It’s a difficult process to be able to figure out and (create) a rhythm, (create) some consistency where we can actually see what we’re able to do as a team. But those decisions are made by him (Vogel) and this coaching staff, and you’ve gotta live with it and move on.”
Westbrook tried to offer to support to Davis and James in the closing seconds of the dispiriting loss, a gesture that didn’t appear to go over very well, although that could have been poor timing rather than ill-will. Still, it was a telling moment of potential dissatisfaction with how the gamble to acquire Westbrook has played out, Buha opines.
The Lakers are unlikely to find any takers for Westbrook at the trade deadline, which could increase the tension and awkwardness between the two sides, according to Buha.
At 26-29, the Lakers are currently the No. 9 seed in the West.
Oof.
What drama, great for the nba
If Westbrook makes a promise that he will not opt in in July, Lakers can trade him to Rockets for 2 first round picks and Wall
No opt in = no frustration
Then Horton Tucker and two Firsts for a good player
@Sillivan
unless he just doesn’t want to be apart of a rebuild, why would he forego $40 something mill?
The Rockets aren’t trading a pick for Westbrook. If anything LA needs to attach the 1 they can trade this decade to Russ to get a trade done.
This could get ugly. Uglier, I mean
Realize most disagree but I still think a Wall for Westbrook swap makes sense here. If there was EVER an instance of addition by subtraction …
I wouldn’t give up the 2027 first to make it happen, but if Houston was willing to do RWB + 2nd I would pull the trigger 100%
You’re right but I think the Rockets realize the Lakers are in a tough spot and probably won’t be willing to help them out.
They’ll hold out for that Lakers first round pick before they do the deal. They’ll let Los Angeles squirm and suffer with this Westbrook situation and won’t be the ones to save them without a first-rounder.
This is all fall out going back to the AD trade. The Lakers knew they were the only team AD wanted to go to and used that leverage.
Now that the team LBJ and Rob P built is aging out and no one wants to help the Lakers with their next championship team.
Why would the Rockets possibly want Westbrook back? They got rid of him for Wall to start with. There’s no way they’d go for it without a big sweetener.
@jolink
not saying the Rockets WOULD want him back but wasn’t it Westbrook that requested a trade?
Scariest thing is Westbrook opt in this summer
Scary
Frightening indeed
I’m shuddering at the thought, and I don’t even like the Lakers!
To this day, I’m still amazed anyone thought this pairing was ever going to work out. It’s the textbook definition of bias from the Lakers or Westbrook fans who did believe so.
Seriously. Had to be completely blind to think this was ever a good idea.
The fact they broke up a core (Kuzma-KCP-Caruso) of role players around Bron-AD that had them atop the West pre-Bron injury last season makes it even more egregious.
It’s not like this team was bad. They were a 7 seed and lost to Phoenix due purely to injuries last year.
Bingo. Front office panicked. Injuries and really no off-season. They made two glaring mistakes. Keeping THT instead of Caruso and dealing KCP and Kuz for Russ. They had chemistry. They were family. Now they are a team of I’ll fitting parts
The only one who needed to think it was a good idea was Lebron, the defacto GM.
@SheaGoodbye
I myself was one that thought it could work. Not that I expected Westbrook to all of a sudden shoot 3s better but I thought if any player could get to him it would be LBJ. When I heard LBJ and AD met with Westbrook prior to the trade, I assumed or had faith that he would alter his game and sacrifice stats to come home and compete for a chip. Instead, he’s the same ole guy and I think that’s just the way he is. An extremely athletic player, with a huge motor but a game relying mostly off of athleticism and a very low IQ. He just doesn’t understand the concept of running an offense and getting the best shots for the team.
LBJ and Westbrick for Ben Simmons, Thybulle, Furkan, Springer and Tobias Harris
Simple fix for the Lakers.
LOL this is bait right
Totally messing yes. Brick hates Philly too.
Philly buys out Brick—goes w/ the Maxey-Curry-Green-Bron-Embiid crunch time lineup
Trading their best player along with maybe the most untradeable player in the league for a headcase who is currently sitting out the season plus four more players = ‘simple fix’. lmao
Poor baby. The world is so unfair and out to get you, lol. Westbrook simply dont get it. He’s still pissed that coaches and teammates didnt allow him to get one more point to get triple double in a game Lakers won couple games back. He really doesnt get it!
Imagine Simmons in Russ shoes …
Simmons would actually play because he would be a better fit
What if the fans were mean to him? He would crawl right back under his blanket.
@mrsshy
Yeah… what Lakers need. Replace Westbrook for a guy who doesn’t shoot ANY 3s at all, can’t make his FT thus as liability late in games, can’t spread the floor, would clog the lanes and can’t take critical criticism on a team led by LBJ who will call you out. The only thing he brings is defense.
I’m with you, I’m an enthusiastic observer, played into my late twenties but don’t pretend to know much about coaching and I could see a mile away that this wouldn’t work. LA’s top two players are a point forward and a big – they need defensive shooters around them, the opposite of Westbrook’s strengths.
Remind me again why Westbrook was a better option than Buddy Hield. I know it’s different positions. I guess hindsight.
Star power I guess
He wasn’t, but GM LeBron isn’t really a GM so…
Still, even then it’s surprising that he could understand so little about roster building to have ever pushed for such a move. If he were smarter, he would’ve either realized this or realized he needs to let them folks who do this for a living do their jobs.
@SheaGoodbye
I disagree. Say what you want but LBJ as a GM I’d largely the reason why the Heat, Cavs and Lakers have chips. How soon ppl forget. They won in LA largely with players LBJ recruited. It wasn’t his decision to let Caruso walk. The idea that a younger Westbrook could help take some of the scoring and floor leading responsibilities off of LBJ was a big reason I think. Westbrook just has 1 style of play unfortunately.
They should’ve surround themselves with shooters that’s the difference. Lebron should’ve played point where they were playing well in previous years
Buddy Hield wouldn’t have moved the needle. Should have kept Caruso, KCP and Kuz. Let THT walk
Made sense in 2k
It would be such a vintage Knicks move to trade for Westbrook right now. I think he’s still a very good player, but not where their focus should be. Going to be an interesting trade deadline, for sure.
Isn’t thibs big on defense which Russ doesn’t do or at least well at
As a Knicks fan I’d actually support it as a proto-salary dump. Russ is an expiring next year. Getting a few salaries off the books (*cough* Fournier) wouldn’t be the worst thing NY could do.
Also, the way Russ is playing now, he would only help our lottery odds
For real. I’m here for it. Let’s get Russ and ride this ship to the bottom. Bonus points if they send Randle to the Lakers as part of it.
Trade machine has Randle, Fournier, and Walker for Westbrook and Doumbouya as working. Let’s do it, haha.
This team isn’t going anywhere as currently constructed. At this point why not trade for Westbrook? They’ll at least have someone with a pulse at point and he’ll open some nice cap space for them after next season, plus trading vets in the deal would open up a lot of minutes for the younger guys. Keep building through the draft and maybe they can attract good free agents.
We all wish it work out but in the end it didn’t . If rob doesn’t do anything . Than there no hope to save the season. Just call the rockets and get wall already or see if the knicks will give us reddish and walker
The Lakers and Nets are built around aging players that always had problems playing with teammates; eat up most of the payroll; and stick the FO with trying to get a “supporting cast” around them on a limited budget.
The NBA has moved to team basketball. The Bucks with a true superstar that doesn’t act like a narcist with his teammates and fans (“it’s a privilege for the fans to watch me play”), played the Suns in The Finals last year. Heat, Bulls, Cavs coming in the East; Grizzlies, Jazz in the West. Lakers & Nets are like the Yankees – paying too much money to guys that get less productive each year – and watch during games while the young teams they play outhustle them…so the only time they unite is when they ban together to get the Head Coach fired.
One guy on another thread said Lebron would go back to Cleveland. LOL The man would dismantle everything that’s been built there by the FO, Coaching Staff and players before he even stepped on the court in training camp.
I mean, the Lakers won the NBA title the year before last. The Nets had the best record in basketball, or at least the best in the East, before Durant got hurt. Not sure your point is more than wishful thinking.
My point is spot on.
Like them, you’re living in the past.
You think those old guys are going to get better and have no injuries or recover from them faster at their age?
“It’s A Young Mans Game” – applies to ALL professional sports.
You logic (and others) is like buying a stock at the high and thinking if the company just spends more money on marketing that they’ll beat out the newer products that are what consumers want.
Bubble nba title, not a regular one. They wouldn’t stay healthy for a full year
Excuse me if this is a little off topic but when you said “built around aging players” I thought about what I was hoping the Warriors would do this summer and that’s Trade the three young guys for veterans to win now.
It turns out they signed three minimum contract Veterans for the bench so they were pretty solid there for support and then kept the three young draftees for the future.
Pretty solid plan and I commend the Warriors for sticking with that. Good move and tuff to do when the pressure is on to win now.
I guess the bottom line is you want to be a destination where vets will come to win a ring. Or just they come and re-establish their value. Andre Iguodala came for familiarity and playing one more year and helping out, Otto Porter renewing his value, and Bjelica hunting for a ring and playing with a winner.
“The NBA has moved to team basketball”
The Miami Heat (2012-13), Cleveland Cavaliers (2016), LA Lakers (2020), and Golden State Warriors (2015, 2017-8) might disagree with this statement?
@ buttholesurfer69;
All the teams you noted were built by star players using free agency to build super teams. It was a style that started with Boston’s ‘Big 3’ via trades. There were other teams that did the same thing and competed but didn’t knock down the championship door – start with the Rockets….the problem is that there can only be one champion.
What the owners and smart FO’s learned is that once a championship was gotten, the stars moved on to play with their friends elsewhere, leaving the teams in turmoil as they had traded all their draft choices for average veterans that couldn’t lead a team. Look at the teams Lebron left behind in his wake – and he’s going to do the exact same thing with the Lakers (and the Nets are going to be cellar dwellers for years when their ‘Big 3’ move on).
FO’s and owners have learned that constructing a team of solid youngsters that share the ball and play team defense keeps them as sustainable contenders (individual defense is next to impossible due to rule changes – team defense wins). You and others here seem to ignore that the Bucks and Suns were in The Finals last year. THAT is the trend – and we see it so far this year in the standings, even thought they’re only used for playoff seeding. Other teams have been doing the same thing as the Bucks and Suns – which took years to build and we see what they’ve turned into this year.
The regular season means nothing as 20 out of 30 teams make the playoffs. So the NBA is now a payoff league. We’ll see what happens this year. But I’m telling you that teams in the East such as the Heat, Bulls, and Cavs are very good, very young, and will continue to get better for years. Teams like the Lakers and Nets are looking at maybe a 2 year contention window before they totally fall apart….their rosters or so top heavy with old guys (all of whom get injured a lot) that they aren’t going to beat a team that had 8-9 young veterans the play with energy and as a team for 48 minutes.
The torch has been passed. Within a few years fans will recognize it.
@Samuel
The goal is to win championships. You say LBJ left teams in turmoil but I say he left the Heat with 2 championships and Wade, Bosh and a great front office. He left the Cavs with a quenched thirst from a 50 year drought. Yes, they had to rebuild. Who cares? They won. Teams weren’t in turmoil. What were they before? 30 win teams? within 3 years the Cavs drafted Sexton, Garland, Okoro and made some nice trades using their pics, Allen and now LeVert. Also those pics traded were large round picks anyway except for the one they used to draft Wiggins and trade for Love.
Look at the Celtics. They held on to almost all their picks and where did it get them? Look at the Spurs, a well run organization. They had their winning era and had to rebuild
Basketball success is cyclical. Very few teams are able to segue from one championship era to another, seamlessly. The nature of winning means low draft pick slotting unless you’re able to sell high on star players rather than sticking it out for another run. Everywhere LBJ went he brought that team a chip by his 2nd year.
But they never had that 3rd piece, AD always has health issues and although LBJis still a top 5 player he’s showing signs of wear for carrying huge loads of responsibility over what was 8 straight finals appearances before coming to LA. I truly wish Laker fan would shut the heck up and remember the drought they had from their last chip to the one LBJ brought them. Teams like the Kings, Jazz, Knicks, Suns, e.t.c would love to have had the last 3 years the Lakers have had.
I think you covered it here. I’d also just like to note that the Milwaukee Bucks drafted arguably the best player in the league, a generational talent. The Phoenix Suns drafted an All-NBA guard and then signed the greatest PG of all time.
While these are somewhat distinct from what BK and LAL did, they aren’t exactly replicable.
Like, I’m not sure a bunch of GMs are holding staff meetings to pivot from attempting to sign LeBron and Durant to drafting the next Giannis and signing the greatest PG of all time.
@Samuel
Yet even if not every super team worked the majority of champions in the last decade have been “super teams”.
You seem to think ONE season of PHX/MIL in the finals is THE trend while an entire decade of “super teams” winning rings is not.
But that is NOT mathematically accurate. If in 5 years the PHX-MIL trend continues you’ll be right. As of now you’re speculating, period.
One more glorious year at $47m for Russ. Although maybe the Lakers’ plan is to make him so miserable he doesn’t opt into his 2022-23 contract (it is a player option, technically). Would cost him something like $40m, probably more, but what’s happiness worth anyway? Go to a nice competitive team on a MLE salary and see if he can finally win a chip as a bench scorer.
don’t care how miserable they make him….he ain’t turning down 47mill.
Westbrook and THT for Wall and Augustin….not ideal but Lakers don’t give up the 2027 1st with Westbrook for Wall in that scenario
Wouldn’t a Lakers-Knicks trade revolving around Kemba and Randle for Westbrook and Nunn work better? The Lakeshow would be better off keeping Westbrook instead of trading for Wall. Not to mention, the Knicks seem like they would like to rid themselves of their own overpriced and underperforming players. I think both teams are better off taking this proposal, as it seems like a much more promising change-of-scenery situation.
Knocks would rather give up Fournier than randle but I like your thinking. Opens up payroll space for the knicks when Russ contract runs out
Opens up payroll so they can sign mediocre players once again. They had an open payroll the last 2 years but did nothing. No top player’s joining dolans team
Kemba and Randle for Westbrook? Are the Lakers throwing in multiple 1sts? No chance…but I agree it’s better for the Lakers than Wall.
Why is he worried about when he is coming and coming out? Be ready when called upon, having that mamba mentally every time he walks on the hardwood. It seems like to me he is worried about Russ and not the team. If him coming off the bench, starting or even sitting out shouldn’t matter. It’s about winning as a team and cheering each other on like they did during the bubble season. That bench used to go crazy in every possession. Russ plays well but only if it’s on Russ terms or on a decent team where his numbers truly lit up the stat line
LeQuit is waiting for a blockbuster deal that nets him KD,Simmons,Curry to help him out
LeGoat you mean. Damn that guy can win with the worst cast. But this team is just putrid.
Rob is a shill for Jeannie. A PR frontman and a hack of a GM.
@Splash
when has LBJ shown anything other than a burning desire to win? stop being a hater. im not even a LBJ fan but I’ll never accuse him of being a quitter. Leaving once your contract ends is his right.
Just as long as the AC works, he’ll never quit
Damm 10-7-7 shooting 27-15-55.
One of the biggest fall offs in history
And if anyone can pinpoint why it happened I’d love to know about it. Is it simply because Westbrook was an all athletic game for most of his career and then as he aged the athleticism slipped a little as he relied on sub par “skills?”
So a guy like Chris Mullin or Larry Bird, who are not athletic to begin with, they will sustain quality play for a longer period. Maybe even Steph Curry where he’s a self-made guy with handles and shooting but not that athletic. His game will sustain itself as he ages.
Don’t mean to stay on the Warriors but even Klay Thompson as he suffers injury and slows down his shooting will still translate to success in the NBA whereas a guy like Blake Griffin, when he loses his athleticism, his game is kind of nullified because the skills aren’t there.
Griffin did develop a 3-point shot and at this point kudos to him for willing to do the Dirty Work like hustling and rebounding Etc. But Griffin’s game is toast because he’s aged.
Sort of rambling but hope you guys get my point. Westbrook’s game is in the toilet because his athleticism has slipped and he doesn’t have the skills to compensate. Like fundamental shooting or excellent point guard skills or fundamental defense.
Why Shawn Kemps career cratered too
He’s lost his game but not his ego
But Pelinka simply isn’t good at talent evaluation.
Lakers have the oldest roster in the NBA.
A lot has-beens such as Jordan, Bradley, Ariza, Howard, Rondo, Melo etc.
Rondo is on the Cavs.
Lost in all this is the excellency of the Memphis Grizzleys who may be playing for a WCF and also may end up with a high lottery pick thanks to the Lakers.
The Grizzlies aren’t beating the Suns or Warriors.
It’s Warriors Vs Suns in the WCF.
Book it!
I’m actually impressed with the Grizzlies. If they can stay healthy they are so young and athletic and hungry. I think they have the right pieces that complement each other also.
Great coaching too.
Yes, you gentlemen are discussing another young team that is getting better as I discussed above.
It’s the RULE CHANGES. They no reward playing 2-3 man playground basketball. That doesn’t mean that older guys that continue to play that way will change. It does mean that their teams will not win, and those the buy the old narrative will blame that on the FO, coaches, and the “supporting cast” players on the roster…..which is all over this comment section.
I thought it was LBJ who approved the Westbrook trade… What a mess…
LeBaby’s window to buy himself another title seems to have closed.
Problem is that he still considers himself the youthful CGI-haired stud from the “Tonal” commercials instead of the balding ageing guy with fraying glued on patches of poodle fur, that plays for the Lakers.
29 pts/8 reb/6 assists/ 1 block/1 steal on 52/35/75. He’s never been a great 3pt or FT shooter but everything else is still top notch. Come better. Did Curry buy a ring when he campaigned for Durant?
The Warriors won a championship before KD. It was Durant who wanted to join them for an easy ring. KD always needed Curry more than Curry needed him.
Come better. Better than LeBaby’s DIY fake hair.
@waldfee and @captainron
a) Warriors have NEVER beaten a Cavs team that featured all 3 of LBJ, Irving and Love on the floor WITHOUT Durant.
b) Ummmm…. Hampton 5? Didn’t Curry, Klay, Green and Iggy travel to the Hamptons to meet with and recruit Durrant just days after the 73-9 team lost to the Cavs who came back and shocked them after being down 1-3 in the Finals? Im not saying Durant didn’t benefit but CLEARLY they went to him to recruit him. They knew that as they were constructed it may not put them over the top vs a healthy Cavs team.
Lol at “never”. First of all, injuries are a part of the game. Warriors would have beaten the Raptors if KD and Thompson were healthy. Second of all, they only faced a healthy Cavs team once in the finals without KD. So your “never” is kind of exaggerated. We don’t know how it would have turned out without KD in their next finals.
It was still Durant’s decision. He could have refused to join them but he didn’t. Again, nobody is ever forced to join a team. And I’ll say it again, we don’t know how it would have turned out without KD in their next finals.
You’re just playing the injury card here. The point is they won a championship without KD. All you Cavs fan do is come up with excuses.
Injuries are a part of the game. Just like how Warriors lost to Raptors without KD and Thompson.
What’s your excuse when Irving left Cavaliers in 2018?
“Campaigned”? Lol. At the end of day, it was Durant’s decision to join the Warriors. No player is ever “forced” to join any team. Durant did what he had to do.
Like one person, Durant needed Curry more than Curry needed him.
Curry definitely needed Durant as well. They needed that third offensive guy. All championship teams do. Two stars is not enough.
I remember the closing seconds of game 7 in the series that the Warriors lost to the Cavaliers, Curry getting double teamed with nowhere to go and no one to pass to. Great defense by Cleveland knowing the Warriors had limited weapons. Can’t do that with Durant out there with Thompson and Curry. Pick your poison hope one of them misses.
Durant coming to the Warriors equaled three more finals appearances. I’ll say that’s worth campaigning for and getting all the guys together on a plane to go across the country to meet someone for 2 hours. Nothing wrong with that.
You going to frown on all college recruiting? Coach can’t come to a kid’s house and “campaign” for him to play at his school? It’s even in the workforce. It’s in dating, it’s in everything in life. “You’re good, come join my organization.” Nothing wrong with it.
Westbrook and the NOODLE .. what a mess in vapid-land
Try again next season.
This drama is playing out just like I’d hoped. LOVING EVERY SECOND OF IT. Well deserved!
Is there anything worth the Knicks and Lakers building around NYK getting out of multiple years of Randle and their current commitments to Fournier and Walker for a package that includes Westbrook (whom the Knicks could then buyout or even stretch a year this summer)?
I realize Westbrook has negative value but don’t know the Knicks roster well enough to know whether Randle and Walker have negative enough value together to jettison with such a trade.
Getting Randle for RWB seems like it would be a big win for LAL. As a 3rd option I would hope Randle’s percentages would bounce back a tad. He’s also a WAY better defender (and younger)
For NY, it’s probably selling low on Randle but maybe makes some sense if you’re going full rebuild around RJ
It’s a thought (I’ve had it as well, but with draft pick compensation of some kind that would allow Knicks to trade RW expiring deal next year).
Knicks likely wouldn’t do it, either way. It really doesn’t make sense to move Randle and Fournier now for remote cap space in 2023-24. These two were just signed and aren’t really underplaying their contracts. Now if it were cap space in 2022-23, they might consider it. But 1.5 years out, even if they’ve concluded these guys aren’t in their LT plans, there’s likely to be a better exit point.
I half-jokingly proposed it in a different comment, but: Randle, Fournier, and Walker for Russell Westbrook and Doumbouya.
For the Lakers: No idea how AD and Randle would fit on the same court, but Fournier can catch and shoot. Walker playing any meaningful minutes would make their defense even worse, though. But they dump Westbrook.
For the Knicks: Re-building for the season after next. They clear Randle and Fournier (Walker’s deal ends the same time as Russ’s), and Westbrook is off the books after next year. Tank with Russ the rest of the year, maybe trade Burks or Mitch, too. Can give more minutes to Toppin, Reddish, IQ, Grimes, maybe even Sims to see if there’s anything there. Or don’t even play Russ and let RJ run the show.
Again, this is half-joking, but both teams are in a tailspin, so why not?
Thanks everyone. Lots of good Knicks and Lakers insights, which this casual NBA fan appreciates.
Who could have ever predicted Westbrook would become a problem in LA… literally everyone.
Except lebron
A team that has both Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony has chemistry problems? Shocking!
@Marlins
Anthony isn’t the problem and is having a good year. why bring him into it?
And the Lakers just lost to a Portland team that is a glorified G league team after their trades and the Dame injury. Ouch.
This works ……
Westbrook and Howard plus 2027 #1 pick
Randle, Burkes, Noel, Walker
They can flip Randle if they want. But he can backup AD. I just can’t watch ISO Randle any more. At least with Westbrook we can run. Speed the offense up. Rose will be back. And Obi can start at the 4.
PG – Westbrook ,,
SG – RJ ,
SF – Fournier
PF – Obi1
C – Mitch