There has been a lot of speculation about what the Los Angeles Lakers are going to do with point guard Russell Westbrook this NBA offseason. His first season in the purple and gold could not have gone much worse.
He has been the scapegoat for a lot of the team’s issues as he never seemed to find his niche alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Their inability to stay healthy certainly played a part, as the trio could not build chemistry and cohesion on the court.
But, even when they were sidelined, Westbrook struggled to produce. He scored his fewest points per game since his second season in the NBA, struggling to put the ball in the basket no matter where he was on the court.
While many believe the Lakers should look to trade him, it certainly sounds like they could have other plans.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 4 Bold Offseason Trade Ideas For Los Angeles Lakers
Sam Amick of The Athletic recently shared that part of the reason that head coach Frank Vogel was fired was because of his inability to integrate Westbrook successfully into the lineup.
“When the decision was made to fire Vogel, sources say his handling of Westbrook and the inability to find a way to make him a more productive part of the program were among the factors that played a big part. There was a strong sense that it was on Vogel to make the Westbrook experiment work, and the fact that it didn’t led to questions about whether Westbrook had been put in a position to succeed. That sure smells like the hope of a Russ revival to me.”
That could mean Los Angeles management still believes that the trio of James, Davis and Westbrook can get the job done with the right head coach leading them. Anyone who watched them play last season, however, would argue that is not the case and whoever takes the job would be set up for failure trying to make it work.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 4 Bold Offseason Trade Ideas For Los Angeles Lakers
No coach would have succeeded in the position that Vogel was put in during the 2021-22 season. Los Angeles’ roster was mismatched, lacking in areas that contending teams are usually flush with players capable of producing.
Russell Westbrook wasn’t the sole reason for the Los Angeles Lakers’ struggles this past season, but he certainly played a part. Running it back with virtually the same roster, as the team is lacking cap space and tradable assets, would not be best for business.