Russell Westbrook continues to be a hot topic for discussion after his move to the Los Angeles Lakers turned into a disaster for both him and the team. Rumors have been floating around on Westbrook being shipped from LA, but there has been nothing concrete at this point, and it looks like Russ might end up staying with the Lakers for next season.
Many have given their reasons as to why Westbrook has been a disappointment with his new team, and Gilbert Arenas was the latest to weigh in on the matter. He was on the “I Am Athlete” podcast, where he discussed Westbrook’s time with the Lakers:
“It’s more of like just any position player right if you become a third option receiver when you’re used to being in the number one position. Now you’re a third and now your brain has to try to process how to fit in like I remember you went there you’re still a number one option. But now your third option on this team getting less catches, running the same routes like you know and everybody’s like yo you ain’t doing what you’ve been doing.”
“If you’re not a coach that knows how to tweak your playbook for a certain player, you’re trying to make him fit into a role that Caruso fit in, Rondo fit in, KCP fit in. You have to as a coach, put plays in for him.”
Arenas felt that Vogel and the coaching staff failed to tweak the game plan to get a role for Russ that he would be more comfortable in. Making him the third option made things difficult for Westbrook when he has never been that in his whole career.
A change in the coaching staff might help Russ, but it does seem quite unlikely, as finding a big role for him alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis is difficult. For Russ to have success, he needs to play in a system where he is the primary ball-handler, and that’s just not going to happen here as the focus will always be on LeBron.
