The Los Angeles Lakers came into the 2021-22 NBA season with championship goals. Not only did they fail to meet them, they didn’t even make the playoffs.
A big reason for the team’s woes was the at-times uneven, at-times straight up awful play of freshly-acquired Russell Westbrook.
Not only did Westbrook struggle to fit into his new role with the Lakers, but he did so in a way that alienated his teammates and coaches alike.
This week, following the conclusion of the Lakers’ season, Anthony Davis got brutally honest about Westbrook’s failed run.
“People see things when Russ was in OKC and D.C. and how he played,” Davis said.
“Two totally different teams — well, three totally different teams. Russ, how he was in OKC, having triple-doubles we necessarily didn’t need that this year. Same way he played in D.C.: Brad Beal was out, so it was only Russ and they put guys around him. We didn’t need that Russ.
“So everybody — when I got here, I didn’t play the same way I played with Bron. Bron had to change, everybody had to change. Everybody had to make sacrifices. It was tough for him (Westbrook) to adjust to that.”
The best thing the Lakers can do at this juncture is cut ties with Westbrook.
Fortunately, four teams have emerged with fairly genuine interest in the veteran guard. Not so much because of his skill, but because of what his contract could mean for their future finances.
An absolutely heartbreaking post. https://t.co/bGEr21x5ia
— Game 7 (@game7__) April 11, 2022
Will LA be able to dump Westbrook in the summer and build anew around Davis and the remaining years of LeBron James’ career?
Time will tell.
Related: 4 Teams Emerge As Legit Russell Westbrook Trade Suitors
Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
