Russell Westbrook’s incredibly awkward season-and-a-half stint with the Los Angeles Lakers clearly didn’t end well, with the player failing to retain his value in the league and being forced into being bought out of the $47 million he was owed this season after the Lakers traded him to the Utah Jazz.
Westbrook signed with the Los Angeles Clippers on a minimum after he cleared waivers, something that his former coach Darvin Ham noticed. Ham wanted to make Russ fit on the Lakers as the sixth man. Even though the team was marginally better, they didn’t want to deal with Russ’s inconsistencies in their playoff push.
Ham has reacted to Westbrook’s departure and subsequent signing with the Clippers after the end of the All-Star break.
Lakers coach Darvin Ham on Russell Westbrook signing with the Clippers pic.twitter.com/UDuqu0qGGl
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) February 22, 2023
“I appreciate Russ for everything he tried to do for us. Sacrificing, being compliant with my vision of him coming off the bench, and having a more balanced lineup. I wish him well going forward, and that’s it.”
Coach Ham couldn’t fix the poor-fitting roster around Westbrook, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis. Fans may not be happy with his coaching efforts right now, but he did put Westbrook in a position to succeed off the bench, unlike Frank Vogel the previous season.
Will Russell Westbrook Help The Clippers?
After seeing how the inconsistencies in Russ’s game have put him on his 6th team in 5 seasons, the Clippers would be wary of the personality they’ve just added to their locker room. Westbrook’s half-court creation abilities could be game-changing for the Clips, especially with all the shooters on that roster.
His role will be tough to decipher, as there are genuine concerns with Westbrook’s shot selection and turnover rate. However, being in a new situation and being motivated to ensure he doesn’t have to take a minimum contract or a mid-level exception next season may make him the piece LAC needs to catapult them to the top.
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