"The painful and sad irony is that Schröder and Patrick Beverley individually are better than Russell Westbrook” - NBA analyst believes 2 newly signed guards can limit Westbrook's minutes on the court
Basketball fans around the world are anxiously waiting to see what type of season Russell Westbrook will have in 2022-23. After being traded to the LA Lakers last offseason, the hope was that Westbrook would be the missing ingredient to help LA contend for an NBA championship.
That idea quickly fizzled as Westbrook saw a rapid decline in his play and the Lakers team continued to battle through injuries. But with a full offseason now under his belt, Westbrook will hope to bounce back. The team, however, didn't take any chances and actively added to their depth.
After acquiring Patrick Beverley via trade, the Lakers also recently announced that they had signed veteran free agent point guard Dennis Schroder. Speaking recently on Undisputed, analyst Skip Bayless said that he believes the two recent moves are a clear way for the Lakers to limit Russell Westbrook's minutes on the court.
"The painful and sad irony is that Schröder and Patrick Beverley individually are better than Russell Westbrook. They're loading up so Darvin Ham can play Russ sparingly."
Dennis Schröder is back on the Lakers, what does this mean for the purple and gold?
"The painful and sad irony is that Schröder and Patrick Beverley individually are better than Russell Westbrook. They're loading up so Darvin Ham can play Russ sparingly." — @RealSkipBayless https://t.co/UIwTlofZb8
Will Lakers stick with Russell Westbrook for majority of backcourt minutes?
The Russell Westbrook situation has been one of the most fascinating storylines of the offseason. After being one of the top point guards in the league for most of his career, Westbrook saw a rapid decline in his play last year.
Westbrook averaged just 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game last season. It marked the first season since 2009-10 that he averaged fewer than 20 points per game. Westbrook also shot only 44.4% from the field, including 29.8% from 3-point range.
The Lakers still view Russell Westbrook as a starting point guard, per ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne
“He’s a former MVP, he’s given that respect” https://t.co/GM4Lr53Lgh
With the Lakers needing to bounce back after a disappointing campaign, it's clear they are looking to add as much talent as they can. With Beverley and Schroder now in the mix, the Lakers have various options to lean on when it comes to their rotations.