There may not have been a player in the NBA that had as rough of a 2021-22 season as Los Angeles Lakers point guard Russell Westbrook. The former league MVP fell woefully short of expectations in his first season back home after being traded by the Washington Wizards.
This offseason, trade speculation once again surrounded Westbrook. The Lakers tried hard to move him, looking to reshape the depth on their roster and strengthen the team. Unsurprisingly, the market for him was cold.
Teams were looking to acquire the Lakers’ first-round draft picks in 2027 and 2029 as part of any Westbrook deal. Unwilling to meet that asking price, Westbrook remains on the roster as the team heads into the second week of training camp.
While running back the same core as last season is seen by many as a bad idea, one NBA scout that spoke to NBA Analysis Network has the opposite thinking. They believe that Westbrook will surprise a lot of people and get things back on track in his second season with the purple and gold.
“His entire career, (Russell) Westbrook has been proving his critics wrong. Sure, he had a rough season last year, but that will change this year. Russ will be back on track and will actually be a strength of the Lakers’ roster.”
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Russell Westbrook & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
That would be quite a turnaround after how poorly things went last season. Westbrook failed to find a suitable role alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis as his skill set just didn’t mesh well with his All-Star teammates.
More open to a changed role this upcoming season, as Westbrook has not been guaranteed a starting spot, more success could follow. He has built a great relationship with new head coach Darvin Ham and is ready to do whatever it takes to help the team win games.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Russell Westbrook & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
If Westbrook is as committed to making changes as is being reported, the scout could very well be proven correct in his prediction for the upcoming season.
Discussion about this post