"This is Jeanie Buss digging in and saying to LeBron, 'You wanted him? You made your bed, now lie in it’” - Skip Bayless on the LA Lakers planning to keep Russell Westbrook, says they have to cut him
NBA and LA Lakers superstar Russell Westbrook is seemingly going nowhere this summer despite months of speculation about the franchise searching for a new home for the guard.
On Fox Sports' morning show Skip and Shannon: Undisputed, Skip Bayless applauded the decision of co-owner Jeanie Buss to bring Westbrook back for next season. The analyst believes this is her way of letting LeBron James face the consequences of his decision to push for for the guard last summer. Bayless said:
"This has Jeanie Buss' stamp written all over it. This is Jeanie Buss digging in and saying to LeBron, 'You wanted him? You made your bed, now lie in it.' This is Jeanie Buss saying, 'there is no way in hell I'm going to eat 47 million dollars. But I think the smart way out of this, the only way out of this, is to cut Russ and let him go on his merry way. 47 million dollars and Jeanie is saying, 'over my dead body.'"
The latest rumor to come out about the Lakers and Westbrook is that the Lakers are not too keen on finding a new home for Westbrook. Especially if it means needing to part ways with assets like draft picks.
Lakers reportedly planning to keep Westbrook:
"This is Jeanie Buss digging in and saying to LeBron, 'You wanted him? You made your bed, now lie in it.'" — @RealSkipBayless https://t.co/6TtLCaRAZJ
Why has it gone so wrong for Russell Westbrook with the LA Lakers?
Russell Westbrook's return to his native Los Angeles to play for the LA Lakers alongside LeBron James was viewed as a homecoming that would bring the championship to the franchise this season. However, things haven't panned out that way with the team being eliminated without making the Play-In tournament.
Westbrook finished the season averaging 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game this season. He shot 44.4% from the field and a paltry 29.8% from beyond the arc.
The 33-year-old also averaged 3.8 turnovers a night and the sheer pace at which he plays has been hard to keep up with for the oldest roster in the league. Russell Westbrook's defense has been shockingly poor this season.
RUSSELL WESTBROOK AT THE DEATH https://t.co/zI4Eycbi1t
His team is ranked 21st in the league in defense. All of these factors, coupled with his exorbitant salary of over $44 million, made him an almost immovable prospect before the trade deadline day. The former OKC Thunder superstar's poor shooting makes pairing him with another ball-dominant star rather difficult.
The only way forward for him and the L.A.-based franchise seems to be a move away from the team. He needs to go to a place where he can run the show and be the man.
With his mammoth contract acting as a roadblock for the Lakers, Russell Westbrook needs to accept the proposition of coming off the bench. He could run the second unit if they can't find a trade for him.