[OFFICIAL] Russell Westbrook as a Los Angeles Laker thread

He was a better player, but he's always been a floor-raiser for a team with no other talent, rather than a ceiling-raiser who can play with other talent. Adding him to other superstars just leads to "my turn, your turn." He can't, and never could, amplify the combined powers of other stars. But if you have no other stars, he used to be a great one-man team. That's where he's worse now--the Lakers hoped that "one-man team" ability would carry them when James and Davis needed to sit, but it hasn't worked out that way.

 

Russ being that triple-double guy, wants that air ball to be an assist.

Dwight be like, 'coach don't run plays for me, but if Russ is shooting, I can fill up my points column'.

 

Wow...

 

https://theathletic.com/3052221/202...rting-hawks-and-more-sam-amicks-nba-notebook/



Meanwhile, in Lakers Land, where LeBron James and Anthony Davis spent the summer interviewing a variety of star players who they hoped would lighten their workload, it’s Russell Westbrook’s presence that has proven to be so problematic. It’s still an awkward fit between Westbrook and the Lakers, to say the least — especially with his massive salary slot ($44.2 million this season, $47 million player option for next season).

It was one thing when opposing team scouts (along with ESPN’s Tim Legler) were recommending he become the Lakers’ sixth man just five games in. But it’s been 39 games now, folks. And while Westbrook clearly passed the test back in late July, when he joined the likes of DeMar DeRozan and Damian Lillard in (essentially) interviewing for this job as the Lakers’ third star inside of James’ home, that has not been the case during this nine-game stretch in which Davis has been sidelined with an MCL sprain (and the Lakers have gone 4-5).

As one opposing team’s scout put it on Tuesday night when I theorized that Westbrook was partly brought to the Lakers for these times when one of their other two stars was out, “It’s only insurance if LeBron goes down. …You can’t have two balls for 48 minutes, (and) Russ is useless off the ball and too erratic with the ball.”

Except in their latest outing, of course.

Yes, Westbrook snapped his league-long streak of 407 consecutive games with at least one turnover in Tuesday night’s win over Sacramento and even registered a plus-17 mark (though he missed 12 of 19 shots). And yes, the Lakers (20-19, seventh in the West) have won four of their last five games.

But it’s James’ greatness (averaging 34.3 points, 9.8 rebounds, 5.9 assists in the past nine games) and the emergence of minimum-salary addition Malik Monk since he became a starter five games ago (20.8 points on 55.6 percent shooting overall and 45.9 percent from 3 on 7.4 attempts per game) that has kept them afloat without Davis. Just take a peek at the on-off splits during this Davis-less stretch.

James (last nine games): plus-2.7 net rating on; minus-17.7 off (20.4 swing).
Westbrook (last nine games): minus-0.5 on; minus-8.2 off (7.7 swing).
And then there’s Monk, the former No. 11 pick out of Kentucky in 2017 whose story has — like his game — caught fire of late: plus-13 on; minus-1.9 (14.9 swing) during his five-game starting stretch.
All of which explains why sources say the Lakers showed some covert interest in discussing a possible Westbrook trade with rival executives earlier this season. A deal appears extremely unlikely before the Feb. 15 trade deadline, if only because his deal that was once seen by so many as untradeable is such a massive obstacle. But inside the Lakers, it seems, there is some recognition that this hasn’t gone as (James and Davis had) planned.

As always, Westbrook’s across-the-board production in these past nine games has been at a high level: averaging 19.9 points, 9.3 rebounds and 7.7 assists. But even with Tuesday’s outlier on the turnover front, his lack of ball control (5.1 per even after the Kings game; second in the league for the season at 4.6 per) and inefficient shooting (49.6 percent true shooting in that nine-game span) loom large for a Lakers team that is somehow, someway still fighting for playoff position as the halfway point of the season nears.

 

Lonzo and Ingram returning to them would be worth a headline.

 

After dumping Rondo, Lakers looking to dump DeAndre Jordan & Kent Bazemore (to open roster spots)

 

https://www.nba.com/news/joel-embiid-demar-derozan-lead-list-of-top-clutch-scorers

 

Did Westbrook ever get 10 turnovers for his triple double?

 

Probably a quadruple double

 

He's gotten a "quadruple double" with turnovers at least 5 or 6 times.

 

Westbrook playing the best ball of his career -- prepare for a Lakers run.

 

Posted this in the game scores thread as well but dropping it here too. It’s such a weird paradox with Lebron. I think he has one of higher on court basketball IQs for a star player ever. But his player evaluation ability is inconceivably bad. It’s still hard to fathom why he pushed for Russ.

 

People forget Harden had to average 39.5 ppg for the first 2 months of the season to carry russ when he was a rocket, because russ came out of the gate struggling BAD from his finger injuries. As a result Harden had dead legs by january

 

Same with Harden. It just shows you that players aren't very good at judging who plays winning ball.

This has to be the most maddening season in LeBron's career. He's actually playing very well. But even he can't carry the team to contending level.

 

LOL westbrick never fails. remember when CF's thought this guy was amazing when he came to Houston. yeah hilarious

 

I think it is that simple.

The Lakers are so blessed with championships and influence over FA agents that they do not even know what to do with it at times.

 

Russ went 2-14. When will this guy finally realize he can’t shoot?? He keeps trying jump shots, they keep airballing and bricking. What goes through his head?

it’s like he just doesn’t want to accept the fact that he’s not a shooter

my guy, seek help and understanding…get it through your skull that you’re not a shooter

this isn’t a slump, this isn’t a bad week, this isn’t your shot being a little off, but you’ll get it back…U CAN’T SHOOT