As the Lakers keep trying their pursuit of Kyrie Irving, there is a sense around the league that they might still end up with Russell Westbrook as their point guard at the start of the season.
The good news is, there’s a brand new coaching staff, which could be a major piece to making this whole thing work. The bad news is, even with Darvin Ham in charge, it’s not going to be easy working with Russ after all the trade rumors about him this summer.
“(Darvin) Ham is going to have to coach Westbrook, which is bound to be challenging in the extreme given that Westbrook is well aware that the Lakers have been trying hard to move him. And that James badly wants Irving to take his place.”
“(Darvin) Ham is going to have to coach Westbrook, which is bound to be challenging in the extreme given that Westbrook is well aware that the Lakers have been trying hard to move him. And that James badly wants Irving to take his place.”
– @TheSteinLine pic.twitter.com/OxoaQA4ZTa
— Lakers Daily (@LakersDailyCom) August 13, 2022
Last season was an utter disaster for the Lakeshow. The star trio never found their chemistry due to a mix of injuries and clashing playstyles. But the real problem was behind closed doors, where Westbrook’s struggles built tension between him and his teammates.
By the end, Russ was pinned with most of the blame, and almost everybody within the Lakers organization turned on him. What followed has been weeks of constant trade rumors as Rob Pelinka and LeBron James push for a deal.
LeBron’s relationship with Russ isn’t the best, according to reports, and James’ desire to reunite with Kyrie has played a big role in that. The King knows the Lakers need to make some changes to be competitive and, just like the fanbase, he’s convinced that moving Russ is crucial for their title aspirations.
“LeBron James still “badly” wants Kyrie Irving to take Russell Westbrook’s place on the Lakers.”
Needless to say, it’s going to be weird for Russ to suit up for a team that clearly doesn’t want him. If last season turned out so bad, how could he expect anything better?
Only time will tell how Ham manages Westbrook and his partnership with James and AD, but he’ll have his work cut out for him if he really wants to make it work.
