It is safe to say that the Los Angeles Lakers’ experimental superteam hasn’t worked out pretty well. While initial expectations to see a player like Russell Westbrook alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis were massive, the trio never really worked.
Be it the fact that the trio only played together 21 times last season or the fact that Brodie clearly struggled to fit in with a ball-dominant player like LeBron James, the Lakers were a very big disappointment last season.
Ever since the offseason has started, many critics and fans of the franchise have been rampant in criticizing Westbrook and have deemed him unworthy of a place on the team.
One of them has been Skip Bayless. Bayless, who clowned on the Lakers last season, had an outrageous claim recently. In a recent tweet, the veteran analyst claimed that rookie guard Scotty Pippen Jr. would be much more helpful for LeBron James in comparison to Russell Westbrook.
I'll say it again: Scotty Pippen Jr. just knows how to play basketball – how to get to the rim and the line, how to disrupt on defense. He will help LeBron far more than Westbrook did last season.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) July 9, 2022
I’ll say it again: Scotty Pippen Jr. just knows how to play basketball – how to get to the rim and the line, how to disrupt on defense. He will help LeBron far more than Westbrook did last season.
Pippen Jr. certainly has impressed many with his performances in the ongoing NBA summer league. Often outscoring his teammates, the guard has showcased great two-way potential. Be it his willingness to go to the rim or his playmaking skills, he has been great on the offensive end. On the defensive end, the 21-year-old has shown flashes of locking down other guards. It is safe to say that Pippen Jr. has stood out in the Lakers’ Summer League squad.
But many players in the past have been dominant and impressive in the Summer League before but have failed to make their mark on the big stage, the NBA. While Pippen Jr. has been great in Summer League, expecting a similar output in the NBA is unrealistic.
Meanwhile, Westbrook might be coming off a dismal season, but under a new coach and new system, things might change for the former All-Star. If new coach Darvin Ham can set up a system around Westbrook and LBJ, things might change instantly for the Lakers.
