[OFFICIAL] Russell Westbrook as a Los Angeles Laker thread

Toxic?
If its true, how can it be toxic?

I admit, the piling on WB has been excessive. But most of the comments I read have a basis in truth, for the most part.

Thing is, a lot of it would probably stop if WB was being honest about his court play. Every time he gets interviewed and talks like everything is great. He is great. His game is great. He is a great shooter, whatever, it just incites all his critics to speak out. And the news cycle begins again.

 

"I'm so much of a starter that coming off the bench INJURES me, f'real."

His body rejects bench status.

 

LMAO this dude said my hamstring hurts because he came off the bench. this guys is such an embarrassment

 

Westbrook likely should be benched, but he's not their only issue. Ham could not start him. But Laker's W-L record is still not going to magically tick up.

For non-Lakers fans, I don't think we're complaining to see them struggling. And because they're a marquee team, NBA will still put them on national TV. They can embarrass themselves more often.

 

Westbrook really needs to stop talking

The bench made u injure your hamstring? Really? Embarrassing quote

this is Melo all over again

 

Rust up to his old tricks

 

as much as Russ sucks, the Lakers have so many issues it’s not even funny

just looking at their bench

Nunn, Reaves, Tuscano, Matt Ryan, Wenyen Gabriel, Max Christie, Cole Swider, and Scottie Pippen Jr



no shooting whatsoever either up and down the roster

I dare somebody to name who this is without a Google search

 

LerBon has seen enough after one game.



Build a better roster LerBon

LeBron James
Anthony Davis
Russell Westbrook (Pushed for Russ)
Kendrick Nunn (Klutch Klient)
Lonnie Walker IV (Klutch Klient)
Juan Toscano-Anderson (Klutch Klient)
Troy Brown Jr. (Klutch Klient)
Patrick Beverley (acquired for Klutch Klient Talen Horton-Tucker)
Austin Reaves
Damian Jones
Wenyen Gabriel
Max Christie
Matt Ryan
Scotty Pippen Jr.(2W)
Cole Swider(2W)
Dennis Schroder (OUT)
Thomas Bryant (OUT)

 

I said this earlier, but it continues to be true.

Every time WB opens his mouth, he incites his critics to speak out.

How long can teammates and players around the league support a guy who seems so removed from being aware of his own contributions to his own situation?

Its like a kid who is fascinated with matches and blames the matches as to why he has burns on his fingers.

 

This. The amount of hate he receives can be boiled down two things in my mind.

He still thinks he’s great.
Every website/publication has continued to rank him as one of the leagues 30 or so best for the last few years when he has in fact been garbage for all of those years. (This was the first year some of these player rankings finally started to catch on)

 

This sounds very homerish but I’m struggling to see how this Lakers team as constructed is better than the Rockets. They look so washed and old.

 

Their not that much better IMO. They may only win 6 or 8 games more than thee Rockets this year.

 

They probably could have parlayed Westbrook and someone else+1st rounder into John wall and Eric Gordon.

While John wall is not a good 3 point shooter overall he is a good spot up shooter.

 

That damned ol’ luxury tax! (Jeanie, not Tilman)

https://www.silverscreenandroll.com...rook-trade-deadline-rumors-report-rob-pelinka

 

I see LA being 1-6 going into the Utah game on 11/04/22.

I read today the Lakers not looking to do deals until after Thanksgiving.

Might the Lakers already be out of any kind of contention before then?

 

Probably not, because after that they have a ton of games against bad teams in their first 20...three games against San Antonio, two games against Utah, a game against Detroit, a game against Indiana one against Sacramento. Those games alone could give them 8 wins. Even if they drop a couple, there are a couple games against Portland and they could win one or both of those. And they're probably good for a surprise random win or two against a better team like Cleveland or New Orleans.

It's a brutal opening stretch, as you note, but unless they completely collapse into "worst team in the NBA" territory, the schedule eases significantly after that, at least through the supposed 20-game stretch that Pelinka will give this team before considering making trades.