We still do not know if Russell Westbrook will stay beyond the summer at the Lakers or not, but we may soon have the heart net. Indeed, the latest information on the subject is quite enlightening… It remains to be seen whether the Californians’ plan will work.
Will leave? Won’t leave? Clearly, the file Russell Westbrook is an enigma on the side of the Lakers. Big disappointment in 2021-22, the point guard hasn’t shown he can form an effective Big Three with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. It’s an open secret, the franchise is exploring different ways to get rid of it. The latest statement from owner Jeanie Buss moreover looked like anything but a show of confidence in the former Wizard.
Nevertheless, with his very expensive contract (one year remaining, but $47 million), the Brodie seems like too high a risk for the competition to take. As a result, it is not excluded that he remains a little longer with the Pourpres et Ors. According to the latest revelations from The Athletic, it would have become a serious possibility again. Indeed, if the Californians have still not hired a new coach, it is not without reason. They would thus look for someone who would stick to WestBeast:
Russell Westbrook left to stay at the Lakers
The idea of Russell Westbrook continuing to be part of their program seems increasingly real. Despite the widely held belief that the Lakers would find a way to trade Westbrook before the start of next season, sources say their coaching candidates were asked to discuss how they would use him in their system during interviews.
It seems the candidates have realized that maximizing Westbrook’s presence after his disastrous 2021-22 season is seen as an important part of that job. The strong signs continue to show that the Lakers are preparing for the possibility of Westbrook staying.
Obviously, we are therefore heading towards maintaining the 2017 MVP in the City of Angels. It must be said that he can count on strong support on the spot, in the person of Phil Jackson.
Returning recently as an adviser, the coach with eleven rings is indeed a big fan of RW. To the point where he would prefer him to LeBron ! As a result, he would go out of his way to ensure that the No. 0 can shine in LA, including giving him a coach who can make him express himself properly. For this, he would have resorted in particular to a comparison with the case of Gary Payton, almost 20 years ago. The idea would be to show how to proceed to highlight the qualities of the player:
When late Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss insisted on adding Payton in the summer of 2003, it meant Jackson had to convince Derek Fisher to come off the bench. Although they didn’t win it all, the Lakers managed to return to the Finals that season (where they lost to Detroit). The comparison, it seems, was made to show that the manager (and his team) should find a way to find the Westbrook solution.
If the Lakers take so long to find a coach, it’s because they would try to find one who can best exploit Russell Westbrook. Obviously, they haven’t given up on having success with the Brodie.
