Will Russell Westbrook be a part of the Los Angeles Lakers when the 2022-23 NBA season starts? This has been a question that has been asked thousands of times over the last few months.
Russ arrived at the Lakers last season through trade, and fans expected him to complete the Big 3 for the Purple and Gold. Sadly, Russ never settled in with the Lakers, and he had an underwhelming season.
Due to Westbrook’s poor performance last season, many want the Lakers to simply trade him. But it’s not as easy as it sounds. Brodie has a huge contract and hasn’t performed anywhere close to the amount of money that he’s getting paid.
Moreover, the Lakers have also traded for Patrick Beverley, who specializes in playing elite defense. As a result, there are many doubts about the future of Russ with the organization.
Stephen A. Smith Shows Trust In Russell Westbrook
While most are doubting Russ, NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith has huge expectations from the former NBA MVP. Smith believes that Russ will be a lot better for the Lakers next season and will prove his doubters wrong.
"I think he'll be much better this year, make no mistake about it. I think Russell Westbrook will resurrect himself."
—@stephenasmith sees Russell Westbrook having a bounce back season this year 👀 pic.twitter.com/WHCz10NigV
— First Take (@FirstTake) August 31, 2022
“Even though he’s strong-willed and stubborn and what have you, I think you saw him internally wilt beneath that pressure, that shrapnel, that was thrown on him from being a Laker, from having his family in the stands, criticizing him, whatever the case may be.
I think he’ll be much better this year. Make no mistake about it. I think Russell Westbrook will resurrect himself. I think we all need to pay attention to that. What I love about what happened to him last year, he learned ain’t Oklahoma City, this ain’t Houston, this ain’t Washington DC. This is the Lakers.”
Westbrook has been in the league for a long time. So, it goes without saying that he’s immensely talented.
But playing for the Lakers comes with a lot of expectations. Each and every game of the franchise is under the spotlight. This ultimately puts a lot of pressure on the players as well. Now that Russ has played a season in those conditions, he might actually adjust his game and make a comeback next season.
