Reports: LA Lakers' Russell Westbrook becomes the betting favorite for Sixth Man of the Year award
Darvin Ham made the bold choice of moving Russell Westbrook to the bench not long after the season started, and it has paid dividends. He has played so well that it might change the narrative of his career.
After a rough start to the year, the LA Lakers needed to shake things up. Given how clear it was that Westbrook was a poor fit next to LeBron James, he slid to a bench role. Many wondered how he would take a move like this, but the 2016-17 MVP has managed to carve out a role for himself.
In seven games off the bench, the All-Star point guard is averaging 18.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and 7.1 assists. On top of that, he's also shooting an impressive 42.9% from beyond the arc.
Ham rolled the dice with this decision, and it's worked out nicely thus far. Following this hot start in a reserve role, the Lakers guard is now the betting favorite to win Sixth Man of the Year.
Russel Westbrook is now the front runner at +175 to win 6th man of the year.
Let Russ cook 🔥 https://t.co/ZAOsLAvP5B
Can Russell Westbrook win Sixth Man of the Year this season?
While it's still early on in the experiment, it's no surprise Russell Westbrook has jumped out in the Sixth Man of the Year race. Along with being a former star-level talent, he is putting up close to All-Star numbers off the bench.
If he can keep this up, he should easily runaway with the award. Given how his tenure with the LA Lakers has gone, this would be a huge step in the right direction.
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With this move, the Lakers (2-9) have found a solution to two of their key issues. They've found a role where Westbrook can play the way he wants, and having him off the bench makes them deeper. Darvin Ham can let him run free against second units to keep the team afloat while LeBron James and Anthony Davis are taking a breather.
It might not be translating to wins, but Ham should be praised for finding a way to make things work. For the to be competitive, the Lakers need to get the most out of all three of their stars.
Westbrook also deserves praise for his success off the bench. It has not been an easy transition from his prime, but he has found a way to still be an impactful player.