The Los Angeles Lakers entered the 2021-22 NBA season with high expectations after forming a “Big 3” using the offseason trade to acquire Russell Westbrook. It has not gone according to plan, and now, the situation has escalated to a point where it’s worth asking; should the Lakers send him home?
After the Lakers’ 117-110 loss to the San Antonio Spurs with LeBron James sidelined, Westbrook told reporters that comments and even death threats from fans has been weighing on his family.
“I 100% stand behind my wife and how she’s feeling because it’s not just about this year. Right now, she’s reached a point, and my family has reached a point to where it’s really weighing on them. And it’s very unfortunate just for me personally because it’s just a game. It’s just a game. This is not the end-all, be-all,” Westbrook said.
There’s a line that some sports fans cross with comments, especially those that are made online. Unfortunately, there’s not going to be an end to those anytime soon.
“When it comes to basketball I don’t mind the criticism of missing and making shots. But the moment it becomes where my name is getting shamed it becomes an issue. I’ve kind of let it go in the past,” Westbrook said. “Because it never really bothered me, but it really kind of hit me the other day.”
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Quite frankly, there is no waiting for Westbrook’s execution to turn around. This isn’t a knock on him as a person, he just isn’t going to start converting jump shots at a high clip, pay close attention in off-ball defense, and contain players at the point of attack. He’s at a stage of his NBA career where he’s mostly being tasked with doing things he’s never been good at.
Again, that’s Westbrook’s performance on the court should not result in the type of hate and threats his family has received. It just doesn’t appear to have an outlook of changing, as outrageous as that is.
“I don’t even want to bring my kids to the game, because I don’t want them to hear people calling their dad nicknames for no reason because he’s playing the game that he loves,” Westbrook said. “It’s gotten so bad to where my family don’t even want to go to home games.”
Could both the Lakers and Westbrook benefit from him spending the rest of the season away from the team? Keep in mind, there were reports about tensions rising between him and the coaching staff. There’s already been “mutual” interest in finding a trade, too.
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Russell Westbrook does have the option of opting out of his $47 million player option during the upcoming offseason if he were to simply want to leave the Los Angeles Lakers. That would be the easiest of options given how challenging facilitating a trade would be. Otherwise, a buyout could be necessary.
