LA Lakers News Roundup: Analyst says Russell Westbrook spends more time on fashion than improving his game, LeBron James to play in the Pro-AM and more | August 20, 2022
LA Lakers point guard Russell Westbrook is catching stray bullets because of his flair for fashion. Skip Bayless recently accused the former MVP of spending more time on lifestyle wear than working on his game.
LeBron James is headed to Seattle over the weekend as he headlines a group of NBA players who will play in The CrawsOver. The pro-am tournament has been organized by former player Jamal Crawford.
LA Lakers GM Rob Pelinka calls James “a driving force of Lakers culture” after the four-time MVP opted to sign a two-year extension. “King James” will undoubtedly remain the most influential player on the Lakers side over the next two years.
Here are the latest news updates involving the LA Lakers as of Aug. 20, 2022:
Russell Westbrook’s fashion obligations have hindered his need to improve his game
Skip Bayless has been a brutal critic of Russell Westbrook over the years. The "Undisputed" co-host was back at it recently with another shot at the embattled LA Lakers point guard. He said on "Skip and Shannon: Undisputed":
"Russell Westbrook does not fall in line. He just doesn't. He was not born falling in line. He'll fall on your head if you don't watch it, but he won't fall in line behind you.
"So, what do I know about Russ? I think he works hard on his conditioning in the offseason. I don't think he works hard on his game, because I think that fashion is bigger. It's more important to him than basketball."
The former MVP played his worst season in more than a decade and was blamed by most basketball analysts and fans for the Lakers’ failure. After a season highlighted by erratic playmaking and poor shooting, many hoped that Westbrook would tirelessly work on his game.
However, his tenure with the LA Lakers seems to be on borrowed time. After LeBron James signed an extension, the Tinseltown squad’s front office reportedly assured James of an aggressive approach to improving the team.
Nets are reportedly looking for 'win-now talent' if they trade Kyrie Irving, so #Lakers may need to get a third team to take on Russell Westbrook.
lakersnation.com/lakers-rumors-… https://t.co/eKEwOGtMbs
That aggressive pursuit of championship-level talent, behind James’ influence, is rumored to be directed towards Kyrie Irving. The LA Lakers are hoping that a package including Westbrook and two future first-round picks could entice the Brooklyn Nets into a trade.
The CrawsOver Pro-Am tournament will host LA Lakers superstar LeBron James and several NBA players
Jamal Crawford’s pro-am league caught one of the biggest fishes in the NBA when LeBron James decided to take his talents to Seattle. “King James” previously rocked the Drew League with a stunning appearance alongside Chicago Bulls All-Star DeMar DeRozan.
Former NBA player Crawford seemingly couldn’t contain his excitement and posted this:
“I thought this was gonna be a movie… now it’s HISTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This will be a day like we’ve NEVER SEEN @KingJames WILL BE PLAYING @thecrawsover PRO AM!!!!!!!!!!! It’s O-V-E-R!! !! !! !!”
🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨 I thought it was gonna be a movie… now it’s HISTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This will be a day like we’ve NEVER SEEN @KingJames WILL BE PLAYING @thecrawsover PRO AM!!!!!!!!!!! It’s O-V-E-R ‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️ https://t.co/wEmLW8zooq
James reciprocated Crawford’s boundless excitement with this:
“SEATTLE LETS GET IT!! Been over 15+ years since I've been back and played ball! Well the wait is almost over!! The King is BACK! @JCrossover #ThekidfromAKRON”
is BACK! @JCrossover 🫡! #ThekidfromAKRON🤴🏾 twitter.com/JCrossover/sta…
SEATTLE LETS GET IT!! Been over 15+ years since I've been back and played ball! Well the wait is almost over!! The 👑 is BACK! @JCrossover 🫡! #ThekidfromAKRON🤴🏾 twitter.com/JCrossover/sta…
Joining the LA Lakers superstar are Jayson Tatum, Chet Holmgren, Paolo Banchero, Dejounte Murray, Isaiah Thomas, Tari Eason and MarJon Beauchamp.
There are HUNDREDS camping outside SPU's gym tonight to watch @KingJames @jaytatum0 @Pp_doesit @ChetHolmgren @DejounteMurray @isaiahthomas and more tomorrow at the #CrawsOver Pro-Am.
Looked up gym capacity and it fits about 2,650
(good luck)
We caught up with some campers⬇️ https://t.co/XmIsZLEDB1
The venue can only accommodate 2650 fans and people are likely to line up for a chance to see James and other basketball stars in action.
Lakers GM Rob Pelinka hails “King James” as “a driving force of Lakers culture”
The LA Lakers got what they wanted when LeBron James signed a two-year, $97.1 million extension. He will have a player option for the 2024-25 season when his son Bronny James is draft eligible.
As the Hollywood team announced James’ official signing, GM Rob Pelinka also released a statement:
“LeBron is a generational basketball player who has proven to be even more impactful as a human being. We are thrilled to continue our partnership with him, ensuring he’s a driving force of Lakers culture for years to come.”
Pelinka’s press release continued:
“The Lakers platform has proved again and again to be an ideal place for the game’s all-time greats to thrive and achieve. We are thankful LeBron has experienced the power of that.
“With his transcendent talent, unrivaled passion and dedication to causing powerful change in our society, LeBron continues to cement his legacy in Los Angeles and around the globe.”
OFFICIAL: @KingJames has signed an extension with the #LakeShow 👑 https://t.co/Es3YoXXQhO
Before the massive extension was signed, the LA Lakers reportedly assured James that they will aggressively pursue ways to make the team title contenders. A big part of that assurance could be their willingness to attach two future first-round picks to acquire Kyrie Irving.