"LeBron pretending he didn't want his a** traded", "Truly excellent how even Laker propaganda is so transparently delusional" - Fans react to Russell Westbrook's expected role with the Lakers in 2022
The LA Lakers' abysmal 2021-22 ended with Russell Westbrook being cornered as the primary perpetrator and coach Frank Vogel getting fired.
LeBron James is up for an extension this year as he enters the final year of his contract. And in his latest meeting with the Lakers brass, it was revealed, among other things, that the topic of Westbrook was also discussed.
Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes reported that the Lakers are focusing fousing on Westbrook's shooting:
"The team is also hopeful for a corner-3 shooting percentage bump from Russell Westbrook next season, sources said. Ham agreed with James and reiterated that his main objectives are to hold everyone accountable and foster an atmosphere of selflessness, sources said."
Yahoo Sources: Inside LeBron James' meeting with Lakers front office: Darvin Ham's offensive plan, Rob Pelinka's roster patience. sports.yahoo.com/inside-lebron-…
Haynes further added to the matter, reporting that new coach Darvin Ham wouldn't hesitate to exercise his power should a player bicker about his role:
"He voiced that defensive tenacity needs to be picked up all across the roster and also forewarned that players would have to play new roles and if he sensed reluctance, he wouldn’t hesitate to remove them from the game, sources said."
NBA Reddit sent in some hilarious reactions to Haynes' report, with Westbrook being the butt of the jokes.
Also Checkout:- Russell Westbrook Stats
Is using Russell Westbrook as a 3&D for the LA Lakers possible?
The proposition that Russell Westbrook should improve his corner 3-point shooting has led many to speculate on his role with the LA Lakers.
Should Westbrook remain on the roster, the issue is roughly the same as last year. He is not a good fit, and after his abysmal performances, his trade value is lower than ever. The silver lining is that Westbrook shot an impressive 43.8% on corner 3-pointers last season.
In fact, the 2016-17 MVP shot 39.1% from 3-point range in his final 11 games of the 2021-22 season. So, are the Lakers onto something here, and can this be feasible?
If Westbrook shifts to shooting guard, it would take the primary ball-handling responsibility out. That could lower his turnovers and increase the Lakers' offensive efficiency.
The problem arises when one factors in Westbrook's defense. Westbrook was in the 35th percentile of all defenders in the NBA last season, as ranked using their defensive rating. While he could blossom into one of the top corner-shooting players in the NBA, his defense likely will, nonetheless, hold him back.