The Ugly Truth Behind the Lakers’ Struggles: Russell Westbrook
The problem with Westbrook is that it runs deeper than just the issues on the surface. His basketball fit does not match with the current roster of the Lakers.
Russell Westbrook - Brook Smith / Sports Illustrated
The problems in L.A. have been brewing since the offseason of last year. After a disappointing first round playoff exit to the Phoenix Suns, Lakers fans were left shocked and demanding for change. Lakers General Manager and President of Basketball Operations, Rob Pelinka, would be left with five contracts on the roster and virtually zero wiggle room to work under the salary cap (And yes, we included the infamous Luol Deng contract as part of the five).
Backed into a corner, Pelinka pulled the trigger on one of the most surprising trades of recent NBA history, just hours before the 2021 NBA Draft: The Russell Westbrook trade. Some, and by some, I hope none or very few, die-hard Westbrook fans will come to his defense for the consequences that we will discuss next that follow shortly after the completion of this trade.
Not only did this trade catapult the Lakers into the NBA luxury tax, but it also deprived the team of its immediate youth, depth, and assets. As a result, the Los Angeles Lakers are left managing a team lacking all of the aforementioned variables, leading to an inevitable crossroad.
Why Does it not Fit?
The problem with Westbrook is that it runs deeper than just the issues on the surface. His basketball fit does not match with the current roster of the Lakers. What do I mean by that? When you trade for a star, who specifically is being acquired as your third star and more importantly, your third maximum contract, the player must become adept in two areas for the situation to prosper: High Efficiency and Low Usage. In general, teams are constructed to carry either one or two high usage players in their starting lineup. In the case of the Lakers, the last few years have consisted of Lebron James and Anthony Davis commanding those roles with championship success when healthy.
The reason the third star must adapt to these measures is due to the fact there is only so much ball to go around. Star players’ usage rates go down when partnered or paired with other stars, generally suggesting that their efficiency should increase. If we look closely at the rare success around the league with teams that carry three maximum contract players, we can find the 6x NBA champions Golden State Warriors alongside the current NBA champions, the Milwaukee Bucks.
A Winning Formula
Two very different organizations and roster constructions, but I will save us all some time here. The Warriors have the two greatest shooters of all time in Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, paired with one of the greatest defenders of all time, Draymond Green. The Bucks have a 2x MVP and 1x DPOY in Giannis Antetokounmpo, a unique player whose earned these honors by being one of the best high usage and high efficiency players in the league. To go with the Greek Freak are two efficient on-ball and off-ball offensive and defensive super sidekicks, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday. I believe we can all agree that those recipes involving three stars have both found extreme success in their own unique ways and make a whole lot more sense than our recipe cooking in L.A.
Taking your pick of who the third star is on both teams, you will find their usage decreased upon arriving to the team, while their efficiency on at least one end of the court increased. Westbrook has found a way to do the opposite this season. Averaging his second worst PER (Player Efficiency Rating) of his career since his rookie year at a 15.3 rating, Westbrook is ranked as the 142nd most efficient player in the league. Not to mention he currently leads the league in turnovers with a staggering 191 turnovers on the season, 4.2 per game.
These sorts of stats do not even begin to represent the on-court dismay caused by inserting him into lineups. Westbrook is known for his inability to knock down triples and space the floor when the ball is not in his hands, giving opposing teams the upper hand defensively in half court sets. What truly stings the most in the current version of Westbrook the Lakers acquired was not his inability to shoot the ball, but rather his inability or unwillingness to defend. Westbrook has posted several seasons of excellent defensive ratings, steal averages, and BPM’s (Box-Plus-Minus) in previous years.
Unfortunately, Westbrook has failed to live up to that reputation of his, as he currently holds a 109.8 defensive rating (13th among all starting PG’s) and is a -69 BPM on the season (No, the -69 is not a joke, although I wish). To his credit, he has been able to maintain a 1.1 steals per game average, which is around his career mark.
Lakers Big 3 - Statmuse
The Lakers’ “Big 3”
The overall theme of Westbrook being a major issue, if not the biggest issue with the Lakers this season is that, from his arrival; all the way up to current day, he can be linked to every problem with this team. Ranked 16th in defensive rating, 25th in turnovers, and 24th in offensive rating, is this by coincidence? In 342 minutes with Westbrook on the court in the fourth quarter, the Lakers are -34. In 198 minutes with Westbrook off the court in the fourth quarter, the Lakers are +50. Is it too harsh to put so much blame on Westbrook? Frankly, I do not believe it is, even in the slightest. Where you will win if you are a die-hard Westbrook fan is ironically, it is not his fault.
Whether you want to place blame on Lebron and Davis for reportedly pushing the front office to make this acquisition, despite the foreshadowed chemistry fit problems, or the front office of Pelinka and Lakers’ team owner, Jeanie Buss, for allowing and executing the deal their star players requested of them, I could care less who we point fingers at. The fact of the matter is we have a major problem on our hands, Lakers Nation, and very little time to resolve it. To make matters even worse, we have very little resources to resolve it, as well.
Our playoff and championship contention hopes will come down to three complex and intricate factors. Can Westbrook return to form and adapt his game to the best of his ability to fit this team? If not, what moves can Pelinka make to salvage either this season’s title hopes or the future of the organization? Be on the lookout for the upcoming Lakers’ Grammy road trip, NBA trade deadline, and last hope buyout market.
Rob, Russ, Frank - Katelyn Mulcahy / Getting Images
