The Russell Westbrook experiment on the Lakers was a failed one, and an NBA insider has revealed who took the blame for what went down.
“Sources instructed ESPN that each member of the group concerned within the Russell Westbrook commerce — together with James – will admit they misjudged it, proudly owning a part of the blame,” ESPN’s Dave McMenamin wrote.
Gamers like DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry and Buddy Hield might have probably joined the group to assist LeBron and Anthony Davis as a substitute of Russ, however LeBron led the push for Westbrook.
The group knew the dangers of buying and selling for a ball-dominant guard who must be the group’s third possibility – one thing Westbrook had by no means skilled earlier than.
Russ in purple and gold solely lasted for one and a half seasons earlier than he was traded in a blockbuster three-team deal, the place LA obtained D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt.
The failings of the Russ commerce additionally led to former Lakers head coach Frank Vogel’s firing, in keeping with a latest report by the Athletic’s Sam Amick.
“…Buss was recognized to imagine the previous coach was largely guilty for the failed integration of Russell Westbrook and in the end greenlighted his April 2022 firing because of this…,” Amick wrote.
Quick ahead to the 2023-24 season and the Lakers GM Rob Pelinka finds himself in the same state of affairs, with an getting older James and Davis and an underwhelming assist solid.
Simply final season, Pelinka made some in-season strikes that noticed a group who began the season 2-10 make a playoffs push.
However because the Lakers know all too effectively, exploring the commerce market possible signifies that you’re parting methods with one more future draft decide.
In the event that they traded for a participant like Zach LaVine, would it not simply be one other Westbrook state of affairs?
READ MORE: Lakers’ Likely Major Coaching Shakeup Outlined By NBA Insider
