"You know that alarm that went off last year when the Westbrook trade happened?" - Chris Mannix predicts LA Lakers' new-look backcourt will fail miserably
After an offseason filled with speculation, the LA Lakers ultimately opened training camp with Russell Westbrook, Patrick Beverley and Dennis Schroder as options in the backcourt. The German wasn’t around, though, as he was organizing his family’s move back to LA.
The vibe after the Lakers’ Media Day regarding their new backcourt was positive, just like it was when they acquired Westbrook. Sports Illustrated senior writer Chris Mannix, however, has already seen similarities between last season and the upcoming one for the Hollywood squad. He said:
“You know that alarm that went off last year when the Westbrook trade happened? The thought in all our minds was that this wasn’t going to work. That same alarm is ringing right now when I hear about how Westbrook, Schroder and Patrick Beverley are going to form some kind of usable backcourt rotation.
"That alarm rings even louder when I read about Patrick Beverley as a 3-and-D guy. It is deafening when I’m now hearing that Patrick Beverley and Russell Westbrook are best friends!”
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When rumors started to surface last year that the LA Lakers were interested in Russell Westbrook, most basketball analysts didn’t think the trade would happen. He was expected to be a misfit in a system heavily dependent on LeBron James.
Given that the Lakers were linked to Buddy Hield, Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, the Westbrook trade stunned many in the NBA. Despite the warning bells, GM Rob Pelinka reportedly succumbed to the pressure exerted by LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
The Lakers had an up-and-down opening two months during the 2021-22 NBA season. They were 10-10 in their first 20 games. Despite hoping things would eventually work out, the Lakers continued in their downward spiral.
Russell Westbrook was booed by Lakers fans after missing the jump shot and then later on in the game, fans begged him not to shoot the 3️⃣ 😬 https://t.co/QYblJZi6x4
By the All-Star break, the LA Lakers were downright struggling, as shown by their 27-31 win-loss rate. Russell Westbrook struggled to adjust his game to what former head coach Frank Vogel asked of him.
Darvin Ham insists the LA Lakers backcourt will have a defensive identity
Russell Westbrook, Dennis Schroder and Patrick Beverley will have to earn their spots on the team for next season. Despite being a former MVP and a member of the NBA’s 75th team anniversary, coach Darvin Ham is not, at least publicly, guaranteeing “Russ” anything.
During the LA Lakers’ Media Day, Ham was non-committal about his plans for the backcourt, apart from assuring a defensive identity. He said:
“We’re a ways away. We got several options, we signed Dennis, we signed Pat Bev, we got a healthy Kendrick Nunn, along with Russ himself, Austin Reaves. We have a variety of options to fulfill in our backcourt.
“As I mentioned, we gotta have a defensive mindset. Those are the guys that’s gonna get the minutes, guys, who are going out there to get stops. He’s [Westbrook] told me personally he’s gonna commit to that side of the ball.”
"[Westbrook's] been awesome." - Darvin Ham and Rob Pelinka talk about the communication and trust the front office has developed with Russell Westbrook during the offseason.
#LakersMediaDay https://t.co/HtPz5DZXMy
It will be interesting to see how the new coach adapts to the existing environment.