Russell Westbrook and the Los Angeles Lakers had a horrible season and Russ has become the scapegoat for a lot of people. Everyone seems to believe that Westbrook is to blame for the Lakers’ struggles but is that the case? Let’s have a look at what Russell Westbrook did last season and what he has done this past decade.
Russell Westbrook from 2010 to 2020:
25.0 PPG – 7.6 RPG – 8.7 APG
144 Triple Doubles
9x All-Star, 9x All-NBA
2x Scoring Champ
2x Assists Champ
1x MVPHow quickly they forget pic.twitter.com/CGj6qWYFSq
— ₂ (@KawhiNewEra) June 19, 2022
In the 2021-22 season, Russ started and played a total of 78 games for the Lakers. He played 38 more games than Anthony Davis and 22 more games than his other co-star LeBron James. This trio of James, Davis, and Westbrook played a total of 21 games this season. Their record throughout those games was 11-10 which translates to a 43-win season.
But this was the first time those three shared a court in an NBA game and there is a possibility that they would have figured it out and performed better by the end of the season.
Russell Westbrook shouldn’t get blamed for the Lakers’ abysmal season
Did Russell take a step back? Yes. Did his performance deteriorate? Yes. Is he the only one to blame for the Lakers’ poor season? No.
Russell Westbrook may not have performed up to his standards but he wasn’t too far away either. He averaged 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game last season. This isn’t too far off from his career averages. Russell’s shooting splits were almost the same as his career averages.
He may not be an efficient scorer or an amazing 3-point shooter but Russell Westbrook adds a lot of value to this Lakers squad. If the Lakers trio can stay healthy and play more games together next season, then there is no telling what this team might achieve.
The Charlotte Hornets’ interest in Russell Westbrook is ‘real,’ per @KevinOConnorNBA
(Via https://t.co/sRGDQgA8nr) pic.twitter.com/HVM4TUG0h7
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) June 21, 2022
If the Lakers end up trading him for Kyrie Irving or Miles Bridges as the rumors suggest then they might just come to regret it. Russell is doing what he has always done and should not be getting blamed for the Lakers’ troubles. You can’t change a team’s starting lineup 41 times throughout the season and expect it to do well.
But, now that there is a new coaching staff in LA things just might get better for them. If the Lakers do end up keeping Westbrook it’ll be interesting to see what this big 3 can achieve with some added depth and youth.