The Russell Westbrook experiment was an unmitigated disaster for the Los Angeles Lakers. Just a few weeks after bringing him in, it became apparent that he’d be a problem, and it wasn’t long before he was the scapegoat for the Lakers’ failed season.
Of course, Russ wasn’t all bad with the Lakers, and he did bring a level of consistency that was lacking with LeBron James and Anthony Davis in and out of the lineup.
But things came to a head for Russ during LeBron’s All-Time scoring game. While all the attention was focused on James and his historic night, there were some fireworks happening behind the scenes that threatened to completely destabilize the situation.
Westbrook Fought With Darvin Ham During Final Game As A Laker
Despite LeBron’s heroics, the Lakers lost to the Thunder and spoiled what should have been a perfect night for the King. But by halftime, with the Lakers trailing, Westbrook was called out by head coach Darvin Ham for his poor defensive effort, and it stirred up some tension in the locker room.
So Ham, whose offseason pitch to land this coaching job had included a promise to communicate directly, candidly and fearlessly with his players, did just that when the team reached the locker room. He admonished them for focusing too much on their individual play, and implored them to take more pride and compete.
“His message was that it’s bulls—,” one team source said.
According to The Athletic, Russ didn’t respond well to the confrontation and fought back against Dam’s criticism.
But when Ham turned his attention to Westbrook and his specific individual struggles, sources say the future Hall of Famer appeared to take it personally. As had been the case so many times before, when the coaching staff struggled with Westbrook’s unwillingness to be held accountable for his play, Westbrook wasn’t hearing it.
Ham, sources say, was upset at a number of on-court developments from the first half. But the final straw, it seems, was Westbrook’s choice to walk off the court so slowly after he was replaced late in the second quarter. For both parties, the topic of great disagreement centered on respect — or lack thereof. In the end, with the tension in the room adding to the toxicity of their environment yet again, they agreed to disagree.
These types of issues have been the norm for Russ since he arrived in Los Angeles, and it’s why his relationship with the organization soured very quickly.
Hopefully, wherever he lands, Russ is able to find a role that suits him and shows the world that he still has a lot to bring to the table at this late stage of his career.
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