Russell Westbrook will be entering the 15th season of his NBA career. Throughout his amazing career, Westbrook has had some pretty amazing individual achievements. But due to his poor season with the Los Angeles Lakers, many have forgotten what he’s capable of doing.
Mr. Triple Double arguably has one last chance to impress the team in the training camp. Otherwise, it seems almost certain that he will be traded in the first few weeks into the season. The biggest issue that Russ is facing when playing for the Lakers is the fact that he is not the primary ball-handler for the team.
The 9x NBA All-Star has a playstyle that requires the game to go through him. But with LeBron James there, he’s not getting to keep the ball for an elongated period of time.
As of now, there is no trade finalized for Westbrook that would offload him to another team. So it would be best to assume that he will be starting for the Lakers next season. However, if the offense is not going through him, what else can he do to be productive for the Purple and Gold?
The answer is simple. He needs to focus on his defense and make sure that he stops even the best players in the league. NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins has even issued a challenge for Brodie in one of his recent tweets along similar lines.
Russell Westbrook is arguably the most athletic guard to ever play the game of basketball… and his goal this season should be to make an All-Defensive team for the 1st time in his career! Carry the hell on… https://t.co/VSW6b5cktB
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) August 26, 2022
Russell Westbrook is arguably the most athletic guard to ever play the game of basketball… and his goal this season should be to make an All-Defensive team for the 1st time in his career! Carry the hell on…”
Considering the fact that the Lakers have already traded for Patrick Beverley, it’s clear what they want to focus on.
Pat Bev is an elite defender and is a leader on the defensive end of the floor. If Westbrook wants to save his starting spot, he needs to evolve his game as well. But can Russ really get an All-NBA Defensive Team selection? We will find out when we watch him play.
