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Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James could not let a Russell Westbrook disparaging comment by NBC Sports Boston broadcasters slide.
During Westbrook’s debut with the Denver Nuggets against the Celtics in Abu Dhabi on October 4, the broadcasters calling the game briefly discussed the former MVP’s disappointing stint with the Lakers.
“You’re telling me one of LeBron’s teammates became a scapegoat out of nowhere?” one of the broadcasters replied to his partner, who said he was rooting for Westbrook to make all his 3-pointers against the Lakers as revenge for getting all the blame during his brief tenure there.
James was unhappy about the snarky comment about Westbrook and called them out.
“Took a trip all the way to Abu Dhabi to be on my…..Eat some breakfast first! Anyways, Brodie a LEGEND,” James tweeted on X, accompanied by the video commentary.
The Lakers traded for Westbrook in 2021 in a blockbuster deal that was not well-received in the media because of the All-Star guard’s questionable fit with James and Anthony Davis.
It turned out to be true as the Lakers struggled to fit in Westbrook, who shot just 29.8% from the 3-point distance. The Lakers failed to make the playoffs in Westbrook’s brief stint with the team but it also came at a time James and Anthony Davis missed significant time because of injuries.
The Westbrook experiment ended in a midseason trade in 2023, costing the Lakers their 2027 first-round pick in a three-team deal that also landed them D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt and Rui Hachimura.
The trade sparked the Lakers’ second-half run of that season to reach the Western Conference Finals but got swept by the Nuggets. Last season, the Nuggets also beat them in five games in the first round.
Russell Westbrook Takes a Swipe at Lakers
Though the Nuggets lost 107-103 to the Celtics, Westbrook had an impressive debut with the Nuggets.
The nine-time NBA All-Star guard produced 12 points, 8 assists and 4 rebounds in only 19 minutes off the bench. He also knocked down 3 of 6 3-pointers.
Westbrook took a swipe at his recent former teams, which included the Lakers, during the Nuggets training camp.
“To be honest, (my skill-set) was unique, they just didn’t put me in position to be unique,” Westbrook said. “I was in a position where I was playing not my position.”
Westbrook lauded Nuggets coach Michael Malone for allowing him to be himself.
LeBron James Refutes ESPN Report
James took exception of a recent ESPN report, suggesting he chose the Lakers during the 2018 free agency partly because of the way they treated Kobe Bryant during his final years.
“[Cap/hat emoji]. I came to the Lakers cause I wanted to help Jeanie [Buss] win championships, bring that Spark back to the Lakers and see my family blossom in SoCal,” James posted on X on October 5. “Why would I make a decision on how someone else is treated. Mama always said ‘Stay out of grown folks business’.”
“Part of the reason James came to the Lakers as a free agent in 2018 is the standard of care they showed during the final seasons of Bryant’s career a decade ago, sources said,” ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne wrote on October 4. “James liked playing for an iconic franchise as much as he liked how it treated its iconic players.”
The Lakers took care of Bryant financially during his injury-riddled final years in the NBA as he was still one of the highest-paid players at the time.
James, who will turn 40 this season, just signed a two-year, $104 million contract that includes a player option for 2025-26 and a no-trade clause.
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