"Are we sure that Russ will be able to move on?" - Skip Bayless not convinced that Russell Westbrook and Rajon Rondo can put aside personal beef while playing for LA Lakers
The LA Lakers could have an issue on their hands this season if Russell Westbrook and Rajon Rondo can't put aside their past differences to work together in the team's backcourt.
That is, if you believe Fox Sports' Skip Bayless' analysis of the situation. The Undisputed member spoke passionately about the pair on Wednesday and certainly doesn't think that they can overcome what happened in the NBA bubble.
While Rajon Rondo came out publicly recently to state that he wished to put what happened behind them, Russell Westbrook has not yet spoken on the issue. Perhaps he too believes there is no beef there, but it certainly makes for an intriguing storyline as LA Lakers fans wait to see how their new-look roster plays together.
Will Rajon Rondo and Russell Westbrook be able to put their differences aside?
It is no surprise that Skip Bayless is dubious over the ability of Russell Westbrook and Rajon Rondo to put aside their differences with the LA Lakers this season. In Game Five of the Houston Rockets and LA Lakers Conference Semifinals last year, Westbrook had Rondo's brother ejected from the limited bubble crowd after claiming to being called trash.
Westbrook would get into it again with Rajon Rondo last season, shoving the then Atlanta Hawks guard in the fourth quarter to pick up his second technical and a resultant ejection from the game. The two had been involved in an altercation earlier on in the fixture and received technicals for their antics.
Whether their beef will boil over while playing for the LA Lakers is another story, however. Russell Westbrook is desperately chasing a first ring and has his best chance of doing so this season since Kevin Durant left Oklahoma. Therefore, it is unlikely that he will allow a petty squabble with a new teammate to get in the way of that aim. If he were still annoyed at what had happened in the past, he could at least suppress it to focus on working together with Rondo to win a championship.
Russell Westbrook will play the majority of minutes at point guard for the LA Lakers too, therefore he has little to worry about Rajon Rondo taking his place. Skip Bayless' counterpart on Undisputed, Shannon Sharpe, believes there is the potential for the two to put their differences aside and win this year.
Until Russell Westbrook comes out and publicly addresses the issue, however, LA Lakers fans and the media will continue to speculate on how the two will work together.
Also Read: What teams did Rajon Rondo win championships with?