If you are a casual purveyor of NBA news then you realize what polarizing topic of debate Mr. Russell Westbrook can be. He’s the guy who was the last man standing of what was once the youthful trio of the future in Oklahoma City after first Harden and then Kevin Durant left town. He’s the guy who didn’t just break Oscar Robertson’s triple-double average for a season record he obliterated it by doing it 4 out of the last 5 seasons to the point it’s now an after-thought. He’s the NBA version of a wrecking ball and what a wrecking ball doesn’t destroy on the first hit it takes care of on the second. He’s unapologetic, plays with an edge and has a healthy disdain for NBA punditry. He is all of that and so very much more. In my opinion, he was the coup of the off-season and the Lakers stole him away from the Wizards for a trio of role-players and solitary first round draft pick. Of all the descriptors that have been used to quantify Westbrook’s game the one I think applies the best is fearless.
- The edge. Russell Westbrook plays the game the right way: hard from the jump to the final horn. If you want to nitpick some of his defensive metrics and insist that he doesn’t try on defense I invite you to check out the team around him in some of those seasons, all recent. It was either Russell Westbrook and the Thunderneers featuring whomever GM Sam Presti could wrangle onto the squad after Harden and Durant departed town (Hint: it’s not top tier NBA talent), the Houston “aaaaaahhhhhh, who needs a center?!” Rockets which featured zero rim-protection and put the onus on stopping the ball on the perimeter and finally the Washington Wizards also known as the team that gives up halfway through the season cause half the squad is hurt. Russell Westbrook can bring at least the same level of skill and intensity Dennis Schroder brought. His intensity can rub people wrong because it’s born of hard work and dedication. I, for one, have no problem with curt post-gamers or short answers to mediocre questions. The man doesn’t have a lot of time to waste. So, for those that take umbrage to the edge that Russell displays in media sessions or his utter exuberance at dunking on people I am not only fond of it but feel like that kind of fire and edge was lacking on last season’s team.
- The shooting. A lot was made on the day the trade was announced about how Westbrook’s shooting was an albatross to the Laker offense. While Russ may not be the second coming of Ray Allen in terms of a silky smooth jumper he has other areas he is elite at and some of those, incredibly, involve scoring the basketball. While there is some concern for Russell’s overall shooting efficiency (I like to use StatMuse for these kinds of discussions: https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/russell-westbrook-career-shot-chart) there are some specifically good things about how Russell Westbrook can be used on offense. His free throw line to the top of the key jump shot is at or above the league average. He scores at the rim slightly below the league average but the volume is what stands out to me. Russ is relentless, putting pressure on defense at all times and he has never had teammates as skilled and polished in their careers as Anthony Davis and LeBron James. Durant was not the Warriors version we saw after leaving OKC, not yet. James Harden wasn’t the elite shooter and facilitator he became in Houston. When he joined Harden in Houston a couple season’s back they couldn’t figure out how to make it work and I put a lot of that on the constraints Mike D’Antoni put on the offense with his disdain for the center position which left huge defensive holes to fill and got rid of the screen and roll which Russell uses at an elite level.
- The playmaking. This is the reason why the Lakers pulled the trigger on this trade. Russ may not be the most efficient player (hey, neither was Kobe Bryant but he got the job done through sheer force of will as much as by skill and talent). Russ will make the Lakers better via his elite playmaking. I don’t know that LeBron has ever played with a guy who makes plays at the level and skill Westbrook can. Other great scorers? Sure, D-Wade of course, Chris Bosh and Kyrie Irving are all great scorers who are willing passers but they’re not really elite play-makers. The screen and roll with either Russ and LBJ or AD could be one of next season’s more devastating weapons because it will force the defense to collapse and either one of AD or a new Laker jump shooter will be open on the perimeter. Just need to let those shots fly. I think Wayne Ellington’s off-ball movement alone will open up lanes for Westbrook to exploit. Add in slashers like Bazemore, Ariza and, yes, LeBron James and it’s easy to imagine Russ sneaking passes through the defense for easy buckets. We’ll still have Davis and his array of jumpers, back-down moves and floaters to make the half court offense workable but I think LeBron and the Laker front office understand that if LeBron is continue his career at an elite level something has to give. With Westbrook onboard that will likely be a decent portion of the half court offense. I think that’s wise. LeBron can save himself in the first half, even the first three quarters and then grab the reigns as the game demands down the stretch. Like how the scoring, passing and defense of Pau Gasol helped extend Kobe’s championship window adding an elite passing PG next to LeBron should do the same for him.
- The transition offense. This is where the Lakers have instantly become a juggernaut. Sure, it’s all on paper now but Russell Westbrook leaking out on the break with any number of able passers outletting to him is a nightmare for the opposition (this is one area where I see having Gasol on the floor is a big bonus, actually). In theory Westbrook will be defending on the perimeter and can start his down court run as soon as we secure a rebound. If that player is either LeBron James or Marc Gasol get ready for an explosive dunk highlight. Same goes for when Westbrook secures a rebound, seeing as he’s an elite rebounder, as well. The downcourt weapon for the Lakers will be a featured weapon once again, one that seemingly fell to the wayside last season and saw our transition points drop. We went from the 2nd best team on the break in 2019-202 at 17.6 ppg to 11th at 13.2. Those 4.6 points were essentially lost to us last season. They weren’t recovered in any statistical way as we averaged 3.9 fewer ppg as a team. While a decent amount of that can be attributed to injuries to LeBron and AD we were still middle of the pack on the break and Russ should go a long way in bumping that number higher.
- The defense. Again, a lot of the negative “reporting” one reads in regards to Russ these days are questions about his defense. It’s nigh impossible to maintain the stamina and effort needed to be an All-Defense caliber player in the NBA while shouldering the entire offensive load for your team or when you don’t even have a player over 6′ 8″ in the paint to funnel your man into. That is the reality Westbrook has played with for the last 5 seasons: No other All Star level talent on his team until he got to Houston…where they proceeded to abandon the center position and essentially make a defense an after-thought. Followed by he and Bradley Beal having to outscore teams in Washington. Incredibly both teams not only made the playoffs but thanks to an elite offense in Houston advanced to the second round. Russ came into the league with a defensive reputation and certainly has the athleticism and skill to be a plus defender. I think we’ll see a different Westbrook on defense in the Frank Vogel schemes. Coach Vogel likes to throw different looks at the opposition and he likes to deploy them at odd times. Under Vogel we also seem to work on defense throughout the year evolving coverages and schemes to adapt to the guys on the team better. With Dwight and Marc we have two different types of centers we can deploy and I expect both to get some decent minutes during the regular season. Marc can open up the floor with his passing and shooting, Dwight can set wipe out screens to free Russ for rim runs that result in scores or kick outs. The Laker defense might take a hit when the bench comes in but should still be good enough for a top ten placement in the NBA next season. If it’s better than expected and we’re in the top five tier…watch out, this could get scary for 29 other teams pretty quickly; that includes Brooklyn, Blake, thanks for playing.
In short I don’t see many issues with fit when it comes to the Lakers and Russell Westbrook. We got plenty of shooting that can be deployed, we can go with a rugged lineup with a traditional center and we can go small with James at the 5, 3 shooters and Russ when AD sits. I’ve always been a big Westbrook fan and can’t wait to see him in purple and gold, hopefully at STAPLES center at some point this upcoming season.
A Russell Westbrook Fiver? What could be a better Lakers treat right now? This might have been my favorite fiver ever, Jamie. I’m excited about what Russ brings and think the worries and disrespect have been idiotic. Russ was a monumental upgrade over Dennis Schroder. Man over boy.
1. The Edge. Russ is the closest thing to Kobe Bryant and Mamba Mentality in the game today. I think Russ’ edge is going to be the catalyst that will define this Lakers team. Russ’ drive will become contagious. We will see a reemergence of the team first identity of the bubble championship team.
Frankly, in retrospect, the Lakers lost their drive in the rash of injuries and wild adjustments to get the NBA schedule back to normal. Russ will ignite the fire into the veins of the Lakers that will remind us of the bubble. The only place where I disagree is any intimation that Dennis Schroder could ever sniff the greatness or talent or drive of Russell Westbrook.
The fools who shake their heads at the Lakers trading for Russ will be singing a different tune by the end of the year when the Lakers win it all.
2. The Shooting. My answer to all of the critics who point to Russ’ shooting as his Achilles heel is to point out that Dennis was hardly any better.
Russ has never been on a team where he had the kind of superstars like LeBron and AD. Whether reporters will ever be able to get him to say it or not, Russ knows the Lakers are LeBron’s team, not his team. As he said, his job is to help LeBron win. Russ attacking the rim with LeBron and AD looking for dunks and rebounds and a fleet of elite shooters camped on the perimeter, Russ will have an opportunity to play to win rather than just to record another triple double.
The obvious solution for Russ’ shooting is better shot selection. I don’t even have a problem with Russ focusing entirely on layups, dunks, and short midrange jumpers. As you always say, Jamie, it’s just about taking smart shots. If Russ does that, we’ll be better than fine. Russ is now on a team where his job is to get his teammates higher percentage shots than he normally gets himself.
3. The Playmaking. Like you said, Jamie. That’s why Russ is here more than anything else. The Lakers want to dramatically reduce the load on LeBron to avoid injury and preserve him for the playoffs. I also think the same applies to AD.
Think about it this way. Give the ball to Russ and make teams game plan how to stop him. Let LeBron and AD play off the ball more than before. Let them have their isos but don’t burden them with the ball every time down the court. That will not only allow them to rest but also prevent them from breaking down and make the Lakers offense much more versatile and unpredictably.
Russ has never played on a team with a front court duo like LeBron and AD or the phalanx of shooters Pelinka has assembled to surround the Laker’ Big Three. For Russ, it’s going to be like a child in a toy store where there aren’t enough guards to stop him, LeBron, AD, or the shooters the Lakers have. Russ may not average a triple double but I bet he has his most assists ever.
4. Transition Offense. Showtime will be back. I’m with you on the Lakers running, even in the playoffs. The pressure that puts on the other team is daunting. It undermines their shot selection, offensive rebounding, stamina and focus.
Relentless is how the pressure is going to be. Every time a Lakers player challenges a three above the break, the defender is just going to sprint down the court. The combination of more dunks because of LeBron and AD playing the 4 and 5, better outside shooters, and doubling the elite playmaking is going to transform the Lakers into an offensive juggernaut. A run-and-gun small ball lineup that is going to reinvent Showtime.
5. The Defense. You what is going to have the biggest impact on our defense this season? LeBron at the four and AD at the five. That move alone gives our defense the front court anchor we never had with LeBron and AD always injured and the rent-a-centers shuffling in and out.
The only player I disagree with in your defensive synopsis is Marc Gasol. I still believe he will be traded or waived and replaced by a younger more mobile center who can protect the rim. I also think Russ can be a plus defender. It’s again about context. Russ is now on a team where his two co-superstars both play elite D. Russ will rise to the occasion and Vogel will do what is necessary to get this team to be top five defensively.
With LeBron and AD, Howard, Ariza and Bazemore, I think the Lakers defense will be fine, probably even better than last season because frankly we have better defensive personnel than we did last season.
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My one complaint about the fiver is your continued love for playing old school. The idea that you can play Russ at the one and Howard or Gasol at the five is like the sinkhole undermining your entire vision of the Lakers because there will be zero spacing. Russ and LeBron will see their minutes heavily staggered. Russ won’t play with Dwight. And Gasol, whose reluctance to shoot negates any spacing he could create, will be gone before the season opens.
Thanks LT. I don’t think Marc is going anywhere. Rob has been pretty communicative with players on the roster and I do believe Marc had an offer to play for his Hometown team in Spain. the only reason I could see for him not retiring, especially if the money in Spain was anything like his NBA vet minimum deal, would be that the Lakers still see a fit. I certainly see one.
Same goes for Dwight who didn’t come here to be Sydney Moncrieff 2.0 with the towel waving, he came here to win. So, to that, I think that there will once again be a nice blend of old and new school thinking when it comes to the Lakers rotations. So I do believe we will carry 2 regular old centers (Marc and Dwight) to both guard against injury to AD or LeBron, reduce wear on those guys at times and for the sake of match ups in the playoffs, to your chagrin I would imagine.
Also, in regards to my love for the old school style of basketball. Preeeeeeeeetty sure Russell took the Thunder to the playoffs on multiple occasions with one Steven Adams at center. Maybe even wrangled a few of those triple-double seasons with the same dude. Now Steve doesn’t shoot a lot of threes, maybe zero? At any rate he’s as old school as they come. If you watch AD play, even when slotted at the five, he just does not like to box out which makes rebounding harder. The best teams that limit the opposition to one and done status on the offensive end rebound for each other as much as for themselves. This is, I believe, where the stat padding myth of Westbrook comes from. I’m not saying there were zero rebounds stolen from teammates, there certainly were. But that it happened in a vacuum is the narrative I’m happy to debate. Adams is a classic screen-setting, box-out center. That description would also apply to one Dwight Howard. So, yes, I do see potential for stretches in the game when AD sits for Dwight to come in and be a lob threat, screen and roll man and box out so the guys who can make plays on the break can grab the ball and start making plays.
The old school game is like UNIX. While you no longer see it and it’s certainly not marketed or hyped in the new platforms and operating systems of the future it’s the foundation upon which much of all computing is based on. You need UNIX to make computers work, it’s been around since the 70’s and it’s not going anywhere. The same goes for the basic precepts of basketball. The three point shot is en vogue and analytics seem to be everywhere but come the playoffs something changes: the truth of the sport is, at last, revealed. The low post game re-emerges as we saw with Deandre Ayton and Phoenix. Footwork inside the arc re-appears as we saw with Giannis and Chris Paul. The mid-range game is suddenly extolled rather then reviled and so on. You can argue that the same game is just being played on different spots on the floor. But if the goal is to score the basketball then a screen and roll man like Dwight or a elbow to the top of the key post player like Gasol can be important, especially if the match up dictates such a thing. Do I think they’ll play north of 15-20 mpg? No, but they will have roles, especially in the regular season where the name of the game will be keep the superstar trio healthy and as fresh as possible for the playoffs. With (hopefully) no NBA Bubble we’ll need them as brisk as they can be.
At any rate, glad you enjoyed the read. I think we’ll all be quite happy with the addition fo Russ and his epic skillset and talent.
LOL. We’ll have to see what happens with Marc. I just hope Frank doesn’t try and start him. I think that would be a poor move. You want a rim runner at center not a toadstool.
I’m sure Russ chased triple doubles. Hell, everybody does who gets a chance to be close to one. But those were not winning teams the last five years when he did it four times. He’ll be fine on Lakers. May even shoot better now that he’s finally healthy and has an offseason to work.
Yeah, I’ve heard the Steven Adams argument before. Might have something to do with why they didn’t win. Was also a looooooooong time ago when Russ was a baby.
Anyway, we’re on the same page as far as Russ being a big upgrade at the point. I think the shooters are going to open it up for Russ to attack the rim and LeBron and AD are going to be dunking the ball like never before. And run run run. We’re going to lead the league in offense.
And the defense will still be top five. Russ can be a lethal defender and it should be part of his main goal on this team. Ignite offense with great defense.
I’m psyched. Just have to figure out how to wait until Oct.
Hi, Jamie. That was an outstanding analysis of Russell Westbrook. One of my favorite fivers? Hell yes. You pretty much nailed all the five almost as if a B-2 spirit bomber was programmed to hit five targets at the same time. There is not much to add here except to think Russ will only be determined to make critics eat crow as they will always find a reason to pout even with the most agreeable things. Great analysis, man.