Addressing the Lakers' Russell Westbrook Problem

The Los Angeles Lakers had a disappointing 2022 season. Despite entering with championship expectations, a slew of injuries and underperforming pieces led to a forgettable campaign. Finishing with a 33-49 record, they slotted at the eleventh seed. This kept them entirely out of the playoff picture, not even qualifying for the play-in tournament. Even with the insertion of new players, changes in the coaching staff, and injuries throughout the roster, few would have predicted this bad a year from the league's premier franchise. Especially considering LeBron James' track record, the postseason should have been a given. But LA ran into too many issues to keep themselves afloat.

This season left a lot of questions surrounding the organization: how can they fix things? Is the situation fixable? Who or what can be removed or brought in to ensure that fix? The easiest part of their offseason was taken care of quickly when the team dismissed Frank Vogel. Though he'd helped guide the franchise to their championship win just two years ago, he hadn't shown enough vigor over opposing coaches nor carried enough favor within the organization to keep his job after such a poor year. Vogel was just recently replaced by now-former Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach Darvin Ham. As one of the hottest coaching prospects this cycle, this hire was highly approved by those surrounding the Lakers: fans, players, and media.

With that part handled, there only remains one glaring problem to resolve. Russell Westbrook was supposed to round out a newly formed big three to herald the Lakers back to prominence. Instead, he became more of a deterrent to their efforts. It isn't to say he was so bad, but the fit was lacking all season long. Though they showed brief flashes of promise, injuries to LeBron James and Anthony Davis combined with the other issues at hand behind the bench made it practically impossible for Westbrook to make this work. And now, with the clock on Lebron's career ticking further and the mystery of Anthony Davis' health still apparent, it would be within the Lakers' best interest to move on from the star point guard. 

Concluding this as the best path forward is one thing. Following up on it is another issue itself. With a player option for next season at a $47M cap hit in 2023, Russell Westbrook will likely remain among the highest-paid players in the NBA. That said, the problem at hand speaks to more than just money. His playstyle and age make him an awkward or poor fit on most teams across the league. Considering the pitfalls in his game: lackluster defense, little off-ball movement, inefficient three-point shooting, etc., it leaves to question whether he is worth trading for at all. Most of the other teams either don't need a point guard, don't have the cap space, are a rebuilding team with no need for such a heavy cap anchor, or just don't like what Westbrook brings to the table.

Los Angeles could manage things differently by giving it another go with Westbrook in 2023. While most would oppose that decision, it might be one that the Lakers are forced to make. Westbrook wasn't the only issue that the team faced this past season. He was just the most evident one. With the draft and free agency still to come, LA can patch up the roster in other ways to give their big three more of a fighting chance. Infusing the roster with youth, defensive bulk, and floor spacing is an imperative regardless of whether or not they keep Westbrook. That, too, would be a difficult task without the advantage of cap space. But, in that regard, they should feel fortunate to operate in sunny California. It could aid them in future contract negotiations in getting players to take cheaper deals. 

There is also the prospect of Westbrook coming off the bench to lead the second unit. However, the former MVP's reaction to that idea should dispel any chance of it ever happening without issue. They could also just cut their losses and buy out the remains of his contract, assuming he opts in. But that would leave them with the same cap issues and even less talent on the roster. Any way you cut it, this is a tough challenge for those atop the Lakers organization to get by swimmingly.  

What's most ironic about this scenario is how easily it all could have been avoided. The 2021 Lakers were not so far from championship contention that they needed the overhaul that eventually came. Their biggest problem was health. That isn't to say they couldn't use some improvement, but an all-in deal for Russell Westbrook was not what the situation demanded. Equally, the fallout from this Lakers campaign has influenced many of us to view Russell Westbrook in a much dimmer light, which in turn has further sunk his already low trade value. In fact, this season has led some to believe Westbrook to be amid a sharp decline. While that could be the case, I think the more likely scenario is that his poor fit on the Lakers this season played a more significant role in his numbers dropping than anything else. Call it an Al Horford in Philadelphia type of scene. 

A trade to another team willing to give up depth pieces and give Westbrook a more ideal setting on offense would be best for him. I believe he would re-affirm his statistical dominance and help his next team vie for playoff contention if that were to happen. The only question is whether such a team will step forward this offseason.