The messy relationship between the Los Angeles Lakers and Russell Westbrook seems to have finally reached the point of no repair. After Westbrook’s horrid season with the Lakers in 2021-22 and a refusal to accept a diminished role on the team, Russ has become a massive problem child for LA. With the recent firing of his agent, Westbrook is showing that his stubbornness can cause people who have worked with him for a decade-plus to up and leave him this season.
The Athletic have shared a lot of interesting details about what’s happening in LA, including Westbrook’s refusal to see accept anything that he doesn’t believe is right for a player of his caliber. This includes focusing on defense and being primarily an off-ball player to the likes of LeBron James.
Westbrook is not pleased by that idea and doesn’t intend on buying into Darvin Ham’s system like Ham has been expecting him to in his public appearances, The Lakers are in a position that is unenviable, as they cannot come to a resolution with their $47.1 million point guard.
Russell Westbrook and the Lakers seem to be headed toward 'an inevitable divorce,' per @jovanbuha
Splitting with his longtime agent has added to the perception Russ has become more difficult to deal with. pic.twitter.com/jjhORX2yr8
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 18, 2022
The subtext to Foucher’s language was that Westbrook doesn’t want to adhere to new coach Darvin Ham’s vision for him: Westbrook becoming a defense-first point guard who plays more off the ball than he did last season (and of any season of his career). This, of course, isn’t surprising, as the Lakers used similar framing with Westbrook’s projected role last season and it never came to fruition. Westbrook has no interest in role-player tasks. (h/t The Athletic)
If Westbrook refuses to play the way LA wants him to, there is no reason for them to not trade him away, and it seems this is something that Westbrook wants. Even though his trade value is almost a negative right now, Westbrook was willing to fire his longtime agent just for saying he should see his contract out and redeem his value.
This troubled partnership between Brodie and the Lakers should be over as soon as tomorrow. However, that won’t happen unless the Lakers are willing to throw in either their 2027 or 2029 first-round pick. It will be interesting to see how they pivot from this.
