Though the Los Angeles Lakers have seemingly been spending much of the last year trying to find a way to offload point guard Russell Westbrook from the roster, all attempts have thus far come up short.
For that reason, it seems like the reality is that the former MVP will indeed be on the roster to start the 2022-23 NBA regular season.
Based on a tweet from Lakers superstar LeBron James, it appears as though he thinks that’s a good thing. James recently took to social media to predict that Westbrook is going to “go off” in the upcoming campaign.
Can't wait for him to go off this season!! 🤫
— LeBron James (@KingJames) August 25, 2022
Surely, the confidence boost from James will mean a lot to Westbrook. He’s arguably never been under more pressure to perform in his entire NBA career.
Last summer, Westbrook was acquired by the Lakers in a big trade with the Washington Wizards. The Lakers had to part ways with several of their key contributors, but at the time, it was seen as a price worth paying.
After all, many considered the Lakers to be title favorites thanks to the star trio of Westbrook, James and Anthony Davis.
What transpired from there was one of the bigger disappointments in Lakers history. The team didn’t just fail to win a title, but it failed to advance to the playoffs at all. For just the fourth time in his career, James watched the playoffs from the comfort of his own couch.
Though there were a lot of factors that played into the Lakers’ dismal season, particularly Davis’ inability to stay healthy, Westbrook fulfilled the role of scapegoat. That designation was not entirely undeserved.
He had an okay season from a statistical perspective, averaging 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.1 assists per contest in 78 games, but that is where the positives seemed to end for him. The 33-year-old never managed to look comfortable on the court with his teammates, and he seemed wholly unwilling to change his approach to the game for the betterment of his team.
To make matters even more interesting, the Lakers recently acquired Patrick Beverley in a trade with the Utah Jazz.
Beverley and Westbrook have a deeply rooted rivalry, and it hasn’t always been pretty. Years ago, Westbrook had one of the more iconic disses in NBA history when he told reporters that Beverley had tricked them into thinking that he was a good defensive player.
How that relationship will play into Westbrook’s comeback, if there is to be one, remains to be seen.
