This season, the odd man out for the Los Angeles Lakers seemed to be Russell Westbrook.
The nine-time NBA All-Star and 2017 MVP played well at times, but overall, he was inconsistent, which led to him being made the scapegoat for the most disappointing season in franchise history.
There were also reports that Westbrook wasn’t receptive to the team’s coaching staff, whether it was head coach Frank Vogel or his assistants.
Now, the Lakers have officially hired Darvin Ham, a first-time head coach, to replace Vogel, and there is an indication that Westbrook may approve of him, as evidenced by a social media post he made.
Russ is on board. pic.twitter.com/RqLKT7w1O9
— The Lakers Review (@TheLakersReview) June 3, 2022
Many have felt that the Lakers were going to get rid of Westbrook, one way or another, but now it is not the certainty that it seemed to be weeks ago.
When they were interviewing potential head coaches, they asked them how they would utilize Westbrook, especially offensively.
More recently, NBA insider Marc Stein reported the Lakers are telling people around the league that they would rather keep Westbrook than give him any additional assets in a possible trade.
It’s clear that Westbrook is still a very good NBA player, but how he would fit in Ham’s system and with whoever is on the roster next season, as well as how coachable he will be, are the questions hanging in the air right now.
