Russell Westbrook had an inconsistent season with the Los Angeles Lakers last year. He found it difficult to mesh with the superstar duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and many fans criticized him for his inefficiency and turnover-heavy games.
At the time the Lakers were trading for Russell Westbrook, though, the Russell Westbrook trade was viewed as a move that could potentially have increased their ceiling as a team. After all, he was a former MVP and the starting point guard on an NBA Finals team. Clearly, the Los Angeles Lakers thought that his talent could outweigh the fit concerns that he presented.
Draymond Green Defends The Lakers For Making Russell Westbrook Trade But Admits It’s A Bad Fit
On a podcast, Draymond Green defended the Los Angeles Lakers for making the trade for Russell Westbrook. He noted that one would be “out of their mind” not to ask for Russell Westbrook in a trade. (38:30):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVCnHrFZND0
Who wouldn’t ask for Russell Westbrook? You’d be out of your mind not to ask for Russell Westbrook… It’s a terrible fit. I 100 percent think the fit is terrible. I don’t think you could talk to Russell Westbrook right now and Russell Westbrook wouldn’t think the fit is terrible.
Nonetheless, just because the fit is terrible, don’t mean that you don’t go for it. Because guess what? If you go for it and it works, then you got a championship… If you can get Russell Westbrook… If you can get Russell Westbrook, you get Russell Westbrook and try to make that work.
There is no doubt that Russell Westbrook is still a talented player who can do a number of things on the court. He’s a good slasher, playmaker, and rebounder at the point guard position and frequently makes the game easier for his teammates with his playmaking. Though he has clearly been on the end of a lot of criticism, Russell Westbrook can still be a positive player for a team.
Hopefully, we see Russell Westbrook thrive next season, whether it is on the Los Angeles Lakers or otherwise. He is definitely a player that has a lot of talent, but now it is up to Westbrook to adapt and succeed in his current circumstances. A recent report suggested that Russell Westbrook could end up coming off the bench for the Los Angeles Lakers next season, and we’ll see if he ends up accepting that role or whether he will want a starting position.
