Before the All-Star break this season, everybody knew that Russell Westbrook’s time in Los Angeles was limited. With so many flaws to his game, and no way for the Lakers to counter them, the team suffered under the leadership of Westbrook and LeBron James, who tried his best to keep his team afloat.
Unfortunately, it all came crashing down towards the end of the season, and things haven’t gotten much better.
In fact, according to Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register, many Lakers officials see the relationship between James and Russ as tense and awkward in light of what happened during a Summer League game this month.
There was evidence of strain a week ago when Westbrook attended one of the Lakers’ Summer League games in Las Vegas and sat near the team bench but did not approach or seem to publicly acknowledge teammate LeBron James in any way. James did not approach Westbrook either, and the two teammates left the game at different times through opposing entrances in Thomas & Mack Arena. This incident came on the heels of widespread reports that James is interested in a reunion with Irving, with whom he won a title with Cleveland in 2016.
The subtext of the chilly scene seemed clear: Several people within the Lakers organization acknowledged it was an awkward and tense moment between its two most high-profile superstars, sources told Southern California News Group.
L.A. is approaching the situation as if Westbrook will be on their roster for the 2022-23 campaign. As things stand now, there is certainly a good chance he ends up staying for longer than anyone expects.
But no matter what happens, do not mistake Westbrook’s place on the roster for his feelings towards the team (and LeBron, too, apparently). He may be wearing the Purple and Gold, but his heart isn’t with this franchise, and he has made that perfectly clear over the past few months.
