Kendrick Perkins Says It’s Time For Russell Westbrook To Come Off The Bench: “He Just Don’t Have It No More…”

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Credit: CBS Sports

As a 9x All-Star, 1x MVP, and 2x Scoring Champ, Russell Westbrook isn’t the type of player you would normally choose to come off the bench. Despite his flaws, the guy still brings a lot to the table and belongs right there next to LeBron James and the rest of the starters.

Unfortunately, drastic times have hit the Lakers and they call for drastic measures.

As great as Westbrook’s career has been, his wildly inefficient play has been very concerning and downright hurtful to the team’s overall mission. And now, following a string of subpar play, there is talk of taking him out of the starting lineup.

On First Take Friday morning, former NBA big man Kendrick Perkins became the latest to call for Russ to come off the bench and he provided some pretty solid reasoning. 

“I think Russ has reached a point in his career where he just don’t have it no more. I think Russ coming off the bench, it’s not a bad thing. A lot of people out there in the world think ‘oh if you’re not a starter then you’re not at a certain level.’ No, it’s not about who stars the game, it’s about who finishes the game. And I think it would be great because now he could come in, move LeBron James back to the starting point guard position, have Russ come in and now he could be Russell Westbrook. He can be aggressive where he’s not standing in the corner….

You have to find a way to put him in a position to be successful and that’s not hanging around the 3-point line, that’s not shooting those 15-footers, that’s getting downhill, dribble handoff action and things to that nature. As of today, right now, it’s time for Russell Westbrook to come off the bench.”

This season has not been among Westbrook’s best stretches. He’s averaging 18.5 points, 8 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game on 43% shooting. He’s also putting up over 4 turnovers per game.

Coming off the bench, the Lakers free up both LeBron and Westbrook to play their more traditional role as leader and orchestrator of the offense. And while it may not solve all their problems, it could definitely help turn things around.

At this point, what do the Lakers really have to lose?

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Nico Martinez is a veteran staff writer for Fadeaway World from Brooklyn, New York. He joined Fadeaway World in 2016 and is currently residing in Columbia, South Carolina. Nico holds a degree in Sports Management from Columbia International University where he built a strong foundation in the inner workings of sports media and management. Nico's contributions have significantly enhanced the credibility and depth of Fadeaway World's content, earning him recognition across the sports journalism community. His work has been discussed in prestigious publications like Sports Illustrated. A dedicated follower of LeBron James, Nico often leads coverage on news related to the basketball star. With nearly a decade of experience in sports journalism, Nico consistently provides comprehensive and timely basketball news, engaging a wide audience of basketball enthusiasts.Nico's most desired player to interview, past or present, is Kevin Durant. He is particularly keen on asking Durant if he has any regrets about his career, especially concerning his departure from the Oklahoma City Thunder, and why he engages so much with fans on social media. 
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