Getty Images LeBron James and Russell Westbrook of the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Los Angeles Lakers are still sorting out Russell Westbrook’s role but LeBron James isn’t too concerned about the hot-button topic.
Westbrook shifted to the bench for the Lakers preseason finale against the Kings but it didn’t last long. The polarizing point guard tweaked his hamstring after just five minutes of play, cutting the experiment short.
It’s a big shift for Westbrook, who has started every game he’s played in since his rookie year. In LA, he’s played alongside James and Davis in the starting unit, although injuries and lack of chemistry derailed anything that resembled a “big three” last season as the Lakers missed the postseason.
While Westbrook moving to the bench has many implications, James hasn’t been too concerned about what’s been going on.
“I really don’t have an opinion,” James said after Friday’s preseason matchup, per The Athletic. “I think whatever it takes for our team to be as well equipped, and for guys to feel as comfortable as possible. You know, I think it was just something for us to look at tonight. It wasn’t something that’s set in stone, but I don’t (know).
“I show up every day, you know, to put the guys in position to be successful on the floor no matter who’s on the floor. And Russ is really a big piece of our club no matter (what). I mean whatever role that he has, and the rest of us. We all have to be ready.”
Lakers Clear Move is Not ‘Demotion’ For Westbrook
Westbrook’s situation is a delicate one and the Lakers face hurdles if they do end up hanging on to the former MVP. However, he appears to have a solid foundation built with first-year head coach Darvin Ham, which could ease the transition to the second unit.
Ham was quick to note that the move is “not a demotion, it’s a realignment for Westbrook,
”He totally understood, totally looked me in the eye and said, ‘Yeah coach whatever you need me to do.’ And yeah, you can’t take that for granted,” Ham said. “A player of his stature to be willing to try something different, something he’s unaccustomed to. I mean, he started a bunch of games in this league and performed at the highest level in this league, hell, even being an MVP.”
Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham on Russell Westbrook coming off the bench tonight: “It’s not a demotion; it’s a realignment.”
By moving Westbrook to the bench, it allows the Lakers to place more shooters around James and maximize his talents with the ball in his hands. If the Lakers stagger Westbrook’s apperances with James’ more often, he should be able to play more free with the second unit as the primary ballhandler.
LeBron James Points to Chemistry as Weak Point
The Lakers roster has been in flux the past two seasons and are integrating a slew of new players this season. Only six players from last year’s roster remain and in order to complete, finding chemistry in a hurry will be key, per James.
“I like the way our team is constructed, but we have to continue to work because a lot of the Western Conference teams, a lot of the NBA teams right now, have been together for a couple years, a few years. and we haven’t,” James said. “So we can’t have an opportunity to not get better on a day-to-day basis. We have to always understand how important each day is.”
The Lakers wrapped up their preseason at 1-5 and will open the regular season with a steep challenege against the defending champion Warriors, who will be celebrating last year’s title.