Russell Westbrick Discussion: Clipper Gonna Clip

it's why i was so mad at russ (and to some extent, lebron) last year. you're supposed to be a leader, and this is what you're doing out there. part of me really wonders if overpaying for beverley was just meant to root this kind of crap out.

 

I agree there is no way to clearly state how bad Russ was for the team last season. It was bad. To a lesser degree but still bad, Lebron would be guilty of this as well. His unwillingness to play defense and putting his scoring average above team play was also detrimental. This is what gives me some hope for the season. If Ham can get Lebron and Russ to play team ball and AD is healthy we are already many wins better. I do realize this is a huge if as both are me first players. AD, Russ and Lebron all talked before the season started about sacrificing for the betterment of the team. The only one willing to actually do that was AD and he didn't play enough for it to make a whole lot of difference. Our season hinges on Coach Ham being able to do the seemingly impossible. He seems confident in his ability to pull it off. Watching Ham coach will be the most intriguing part of a very intriguing season.

 

If Russ can recruit Tatum, he can stay.

More likely is Tatum was recruiting Melo.

 

can't trade him to the shanghai sharks.

 

Reads to me like he doesn’t want to play how Ham wants him to. “Wants him, wants to empower him to be Russ of old”.

 

yeah, live footage of russ's agent ready for that call from the team ready to move 47 million in salary so that russ can be the russ of old:

 

Yeah LOL …. that’s how well that is going to go this year. Just wait until ONLY the first time Bev gets into him about something and pisses him off …. it’s over.

 

Waits for Slick to “Meh” and spin it. LOL his “team“ obviously wanted that “amenable to a trade” tidbit out there.

 

Further LOL …. and unlike Frank () of course, Ham has had “sit downs” with Russ to explain his role. Guess what, big surprise, he’s not digging it. Still wants to play like he’s always played. Seems to me reading between the lines of that orchestrated “scoop”.

 

Utah is hosting the 2023 All Star Games, they can headline Westbrook and it'll feed right into his ego

 

Pop should allow a favorable trade with the Lakers and then ride bitter revengeful contract/career year Russ to a great “Russ” season. Say f*** it and arrange the remaining roster around him and tell him to ball out. Everyone’s happy really. Russ. Pop has entertaining, battling, us against the world team to put people in the seats and maybe Russ makes them competitive while saving a lot of money. Pop’s not one I think that wants to spend his last season(s) of his career tanking. Lakers get some hopefully holes filling positive players back that work contract wise per their most strategic plans whatever the **** those might be …. and ticking time bomb Russ is gone. Could bitter Laker hater Pop do something like that, a deal where he doesn’t just want to do us badly?

 

Russ makes the most sense to Spurs to make them a borderline play-in team if that's what Pop is into. It's weird they want to be competitive after trading Dejounte for nothing.

But they have no assets to give us that make us a better team. Richardson and McDermott are ok but what moves the needle would be more the subtraction of Russ for two 2-year contracts we don't want. I don't see us going that route

 

I will say this for Ham, trying to throw some positive light on things:

Russ is in a contract year, we don't know if that means anything to this guy yet. Make no mistake, the loss of almost 50 million dollar year is no small issue. Ham has been clear about his stance on defense and that to earn the staring guard slots you need to play D and he's been all lovey-dovey about his communication with Russ.

Rob managed to shave off 4.5 years average age on our top 12 guys this year compared to last year's top 12 (no use counting scrubs on that stat).
That's retaining Westbrook and adding Beverley's 34 year-old arse. Defense suffered the most last year and the old age of the team was no small point of why that was. If anything, he should be able to get more effective defensive performance from this group and with a defensive group leader like Beverley.

If Ham can focus Westbrook, shoot from the left, corners preferably, maybe he can mold some semblance of efficiency out of him. And if not, absolutely do not be afraid to bench him in favor of Austin Reaves. RW's a lame duck, we have nothing to fear from how we play him. He needs to perform regardless of what we do with him or he'll be getting a big, fat, veteran's minimum deal come summer '23.

 

Spurs are tanking for Victor Wembayana. Definitely not trying to be competitive.

 

This has been my opinion too that in this situation we have a lot of leverage with him. If he can’t show he can be a team player he’ll never sniff a TP MLE again, maybe less.

 

By all accounts, Russ appears to be extremely self deluded. I’ll be shocked if he plays any differently for Ham. This season is going to be a s***show.
There are going to be some spirited debates here, where we’re attempted to be gaslit, placing the blame on the coach.

 

Lebron and AD win at a 70% clip when they play together at least 15-20 games straight. I don't think anyone can derail that including Russ, odd roster, etc. Will we ever see it again? I hope so.