Despite how disastrous Russell Westbrook’s first season in Los Angeles was, LeBron James isn’t willing to sell him out on social media.
This week, the Lakers superstar seized an opportunity to show some solidarity with Russ amid all the ongoing trade rumors. In response to a Tweet by his longtime friend CuffsTheLegend, James expressed excitement at the thought of Westbrook proving all the doubters wrong this season.
the Westbrook disrespect and vitriol is still corny regardless of how you feel about last season. Some people gotta get a life man
— 73-9 and THEY LIED (@CuffsTheLegend) August 25, 2022
Can't wait for him to go off this season!! 🤫
— LeBron James (@KingJames) August 25, 2022
No matter how LeBron might feel about Russ behind the scenes, he has been very supportive of the former MVP in the public sphere. More than that, he pledged to make things work in a phone call with AD and Westbrook earlier this summer.
The Los Angeles Lakers’ Big 3 of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook huddled up on a phone conversation the first weekend of NBA Summer League in Las Vegas with each expressing their commitment to one another and vowing to make it work, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
While the uncertainty of Westbrook’s future with the Lakers remains, the conversation was organized to make sure all three were on the same page as long as they’re joined together in their pursuit of a championship, sources said.
Westbrook has never requested a trade from the Lakers, sources said.
It’s no surprise that feelings of pessimism are strong among Lakers fans. Westbrook has failed to show any signs of improvement since joining the squad and there’s nothing to prove that the next campaign will go any differently than this past one did.
But if LeBron still has some degree of faith in the guy, that’s got to count for something. With averages of 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game on 44% shooting last season, Westbrook was not the best version of himself.
But if he can find that MVP form, it might just be enough to vault the Lakers into contention.
