The Los Angeles Lakers have had a disappointing 2022-23 season so far, and the same can be said for veteran guard Russell Westbrook.
The team is 0-4, and Westbrook, who has played in three of the team’s four games, has struggled to get his footing.
The Lakers are certainly in a treacherous spot, and if they don’t start winning some games soon, their season could slip away just as quickly as it started.
For that reason, it’s not very surprising to learn that the team is going to try to shake things up by bringing Westbrook off the bench “for the foreseeable future.”
“The Los Angeles Lakers are planning to bring Russell Westbrook off the bench Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, and will continue to feature him in a reserve role for the foreseeable future,” ESPN’s Dave McMenamin relayed.
Westbrook has been a starter for virtually his entire career, but with the way L.A.’s roster is constructed, it makes a lot of sense for him to come off the bench.
What To Expect
It’s no secret that the Westbrook era hasn’t exactly been a success for the Lakers.
However, there are some reasons to be optimistic about what the 33-year-old will bring to the table in a bench role.
The last time Russell Westbrook came off the bench was his rookie season. Also vs the Timberwolves.
5,082 days ago. pic.twitter.com/ksycDYqBu0
— StatMuse (@statmuse) October 28, 2022
Westbrook is at his best when he’s able to eat a lot of usage and run the show, which are things that he can’t exactly do when he’s sharing the floor with other ball-dominant stars like LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
When he’s on the floor with the second unit, Westbrook will be able to carry the load and return to the style of play that made him successful for so many years.
Of course, he’ll only be able to play that way for a handful of minutes per game, but during those minutes, he could end up giving L.A.’s second unit a huge boost.
Moving Westbrook to the bench doesn’t fix arguably the Lakers’ biggest problem — their lack of shooting — but it does give the 2017 MVP a chance to succeed in a new role, and that’s a step in the right direction.
NEXT: LeBron James' Latest Comment Has His Fans Worried