As the best team in the best market in sports, it’s really no surprise that the NBA community is obsessed with the L.A. Lakers. Whether you love them or hate them, it’s impossible not to talk about them and whether or not they can meet expectations this season.
Out of the gate, Russell Westbrook’s play has caused some questions about his fit with the team and many believe the Purple and Gold made a grave mistake in bringing him in over the summer.
For FOX Sports analyst Skip Bayless, the arrival of Westbrook spells doom for Los Angeles.
“LeBron is the best passer in basketball and he belongs at point guard for the Lakers. He’s as close to Magic Johnson as you can get. And he was born to play point guard. And yet the irony here is his flipped side, his dark side, is Russell Westbrook. Like out of a horror movie, it’s his alter-ego side that is at point guard for the Lakers. Russell Westbrook almost makes me feel sorry for LeBron, but he signed off on this.”
https://twitter.com/undisputed/status/1453008922831372298
Surprisingly, Shannon Sharpe presented a similar stance regarding LeBron’s role in the Westbrook trade.
“LeBron not gonna be able to walk this one out because they had a deal in place to go get Buddy Hield and he and AD wanted Russ. This is what you wanted. Rob Pelinka gave you Russ, they ran this by you. You wanted Russ, you got Russ.”
So far, the star point guard hasn’t exactly been playing up to standards, and the Lakers have started the season 1-2.
If Russ wants to prove everyone wrong, he’s going to have to show he can still be an All-Star caliber player at this stage of his career, alongside LeBron James.
It won’t be easy making things work, but it’d be foolish to count the Lakers out when they have so much talent.
