"I think Bron may have to take a small step back to allow Russ to be a Russ" - Former NBA champion asserts LeBron James will have to change his game to accommodate Russell Westbrook
The lakers" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">LA Lakers were one of the NBA's biggest disappointments in 2021-2022. LeBron James and Russell Westbrook were not a good fit next to each other.
During a recent appearance on 'Club Shay Shay', former NBA champion Matt Barnes shared how he believes the Lakers can adjust in 2022-2023:
"Normally, when you go to a team with a superstar such as LeBron, everyone else has to kind of change their game just to fit him. I think this may be the one rare occasion where LeBron might have to sacrifice a little bit just to get the most out of Russ."
Barnes added:
"I think what LeBron did the past two years was showed us that he can get it from anywhere. We never seen LeBron post up as much as he's posted up. We've never seen him be a screener and be a dynamic roller and dunk on people, right? He showed he can do that."
"He also showed that he can pick and pop now and get the ball to the second side and make action come...With that said, I think Bron may have to take a small step back to allow Russ to be Russ."
"You get older, your game is gonna change a bit. You're gonna find a way. I think Russ is gonna be Russ and I think what makes him great sometimes is his downfall. But one thing I do know is you can't put Russell Westbrook in the corner. He's always had the ball in his hands. So we all know the Lakers are at their best when Bron has the ball in his hands."
Matt Barnes believes the Lakers should allow Russell Westbrook to run the offense for the first two quarters of the game. That way he can find his rhythm. They would turn to LeBron James and Anthony Davis to take over down the stretch.
Watch Matt Barnes discuss LeBron James and Russell Westbrook below (starting at the 39:01 mark):
Can LeBron James and Russell Westbrook make it work?
LeBron James will be entering his 20th NBA season. He is aiming for his fifth ring. Russell Westbrook is still searching for his first NBA title as he enters his 15th NBA season. As individuals, the two players are future first ballot Hall of Famers. Their team, on the other hand, has a lot to prove this season.
Following a disappointing first season as teammates, there was plenty of speculation that the LA Lakers would move on from Westbrook. Instead, the point guard seems destined to begin the season with the organization. 'UNDISPUTED' host Skip Bayless believes that there are already signs that the pair won't be able to make it work.
Russell Westbrook (who isn't playing) is sitting in street clothes about halfway down the Lakers bench. LeBron, AD and PatBev (who aren't playing) are sitting together in street clothes at the far end of the bench. Says it all.
Bayless might be making something out of nothing, but the Lakers and their stars will have to prove the doubters wrong. It will be interesting to see how long they stick with the Westbrook experiment if they get off to a slow start.
The Lakers open their 2022-23 season against the Golden State Warriors on October 18.