I feel like this article is as comprehensive of a look into Westbrook’s strengths and weaknesses that you’ll find anywhere
I WON’T pan this trade just for his lack of shooting/defense, but I will outline how things like off ball movement and commitment won’t be immediately fixed by Frank Vogel.
I also think, for as much as Westbrook’s on-court talent has been dissected, his contractual/trade status has been ignored: will LeBron REALLY trade one of his best friends if they lost in the first round? Can L.A. even get anything if they want to trade Westbrook? If the Lakers win one title with this Big Three, and they choose to resign Westbrook in 2023 on a large deal along with LeBron, is that a death knell to team’s last chance to build around LeBron and AD?
Enjoy (and leave a 5-star rating if you like the article đ )
Great read, Spencer. I continue to be impressed with your writing skills. Beautifully constructed despite being an 11 minuite read with a superb and detailed analysis of what Russ brings in terms of advantages and challenges.
Here are a few of the gems to show you what you’re missing if you don’t follow Spencer and read his work:
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Russell Westbrook is arguably the most polarizing NBA star of the past decade. He is as indefatigable and relentless as he is stubborn and enigmatic. He is a former MVP who, even as he ages, continues to create statistical anomalies that the NBA has never seen, but he is also an embattled, aging veteran whose tendencies can alienate his superstar teammates. One could argue the 32-year old is a unique talent whose strengths are under-appreciated; another could argue that he is a highly flawed player whose weaknesses are magnified in the postseason: neither opinion is wrong.
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Westbrook, invariably, will make LeBronâs workload easier. If James wants someone to bring the ball up the court, Westbrook can do it. If he wants to rest on offense, Westbrook can run pick and roll. After the 2021 Playoffs, I have a better idea of what LeBron does to conserve his energy: he spent most of Games 2 and 3 shooting a high volume of threes, making passes from the perimeter, and letting players like Dennis Schroder and Anthony Davis attack the basket. LeBron would sometimes go out of his way to let Schroder soak up possessions with isolations and pick and rolls; Westbrook will assuredly be more effective than Schroder in those situations, and he will create âdrive and kickâ opportunities for three point shooters.
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As Pete Zayas of Laker Film Room likes to say, the Lakers, under LeBron and A.D., have adopted a philosophy of being âbigger, faster, and stronger.â They are âbiggerâ than other teams because of LeBron and Davisâ ability to punish teams in the paint. They are âfasterâ than other teams because James and Davis are faster than most power forwards and centers in the league. Lastly, they are âstrongerâ than other teams because, at most positions, they have an excess of athleticism and size relative to most NBA teams.
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Westbrook, of course, is the epitome of being âbigger, faster, and strongerâ at the point guard position. He offers them a new level of athleticism in the backcourt. He also is a one man fast break: the Rockets, when switching from Chris Paul to Westbrook, went from one of the slowest teams in the league to one of its fastest.
L.A. was so good in the NBA Bubble because their elite defense created many opportunities for the team to play in transition or semi-transition, where they were extremely effective. While theyâve lost some perimeter defense this summer, they will have a player in Westbrook who, irregardless of his teamâs defense, creates fast break opportunities just by being opportunistic.
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Iâm not sure if L.A. will be able to create a team that perfectly suits Westbrook on offense with just veteran minimum contracts and a taxpayer mid-level exception. Names that the team are rumored to be interested in, such as Avery Bradley, Markieff Morris, Wes Matthews, Carmelo Anthony, and Rudy Gay wonât move the needle enough in terms of floor spacing and versatility to make up for Westbrookâs shooting woes.
That signals to me that Westbrook must adjust. It probably wonât be enough for Westbrook to continue to playing the same style he has for over a decade. Itâs time for Westbrook to start cutting to the basket off the ball, playing better off-ball defense, and cleaning up his shot selection.
L.A. could win the title next season just based on James and Davisâ individual greatness alone, but if the team wants to build a sustainable contending roster, the onus is on Anthony Davis to play like an MVP and Russell Westbrook to finally adjust his game.
Only time will tell if Westbrook, a player who has stayed true to his game despite many criticisms over his career, will finally change his ways.
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