Russell Westbrick Discussion: Clipper Gonna Clip

Regardless of AD's and Lebron's health, if Russ played better we wouldn't be having this off-season long "discussion".

Is Lebron and AD missing games the cause of Russ' bricked shots, bad defense, missed layups, turnovers and bad attitude?

 

I have no idea..I posted the C Bags record after 45 games, as evidence of how a team can turn it around. This was just last season. James and Davis playing together elevates everyone around them. If they are healthy and ready to go, 20 games in the record is going to be good. Will we have a Chip capable team? We'll have a solid idea by half a season.

 

Who said he had the most wide open shots in the league? Post that link please .
Again being a 3rd option means that he has the ball in his hands less, it's what they had in mind when they traded for him. It's doesn't diminish the fact the he had less TO in the last 8 seasons. I'll cut to the chase here..The James and Davis duo, can only be derailed by injuries to each other period IMO. Give me that availability, and you can chirp all you want about Russ. The team is going to be successful, I stand on top 3 in the West as currently constructed.

 

Ok I see this. .I'll have to see the shot breakdown because he missed a lot of layups. The thing is this tho...he shot .485 from 2p last season, he's only shot better than that twice in his entire career. 2015 in OKC and 2019 in Houston.

 

Russell Westbrook..PFFT..it's all about Lebron James and Anthony Davis. I'm ready for the season to start. Russ has been a great topic to kill time over this boring offseason though but....

Brodie has been in the league for 14 seasons. His teams made the playoffs in 11 of them , 6 seasons a row until he came here.
All shooting a career .438 pct from the field with .305 % from 3. The narrative that a team with Westbrook on it, can't be successful is some total nonsense.

If AD and Lebron are ready to rock and roll, the narrative on Russ is going to change to

Stats alone don't tell the whole story.

 

I get the point about the C Bags. Time to gel is extremely important. It’s a huge variable to success. That’s not my focus though. My question is about the inverse. Is it ever the case where one can accurately see, very early on, that xyz players just will not work no matter the time to gel? Is that possible do you think? Or is that asinine to suppose?

 

If you like your day ruined, sure.

 

It would be asinine to suppose otherwise, everyone has an opinion.

On this subject, I haven't seen the three play together enough to say it won't work.
I don't think that's going to be an issue this season. We are going to find out soon one way or the other. I expect the team to play well.

 

The good news from my perspective is that we will be running an offense this season. In Ham's offense we will have movement and betters shots. Instead of shooting averages dropping because players come to the Lakers they will actually rise. I also think Coach Ham will know right away, even in preseason, who is going to work together and who isn't. As fans we can see it right away. A good coach having the inside to everything will know way before we do. If a coach goes through training camp, pre-season and still needs twenty games to see that players aren't working or fitting together he might be in the wrong profession. It may be that it is somewhat working and he needs more time to make it happen but if it is as bad as last season Ham will know. Unless Russ buys in and comes to camp killing it with good defense and a good attitude he will be the sixth man. Coach Ham has already drawn the line in the sand. He either has to stick to what he said he would do or fall on his face before he even begins. With Ham I see Russ as a non issue, he will handle him one way or the other. The bigger issue for me is if Lebron will buy in. Getting him to play defense and be a team guy is crucial. The way he played last season is contrary to Ham's philosophy.

 

it's hard to hear you over the moving goalposts.

 

i need to see a team with russ playing 30mpg be a movement-oriented team to believe it. in short, he's never, ever played like that. are we going to play a different system if he moves to a 6th man role (which, again, i highly doubt he accepts anyway) like when we played smaller off the bench in the kobe/pau years? that doesn't seem to be ham's plan.

but yeah, i agree with ox that the first few preseason games will actually be very informative this year.

 

If Russ doesn't show it early he won't be getting 30 min a game. Just can't see Ham letting Russ mess up his first head coaching opportunity.

 

Interestng indeed. Can think of 3 reasons off top of my head. 1. Downsizing or upsizing to new home in LA area for family. Would be foolish to upsize unless he can do it with the profits, but taxes each year going to be horrendous and his big money contracts are over. 2. Knows he’s being moved to another city and is saying the hell with LA this time after all the mocking and taking his family with him wherever he winds up. But also could get released there and certainly they’re not renewing him at big dollars if at all after this season so could have to move again. 3. His new agent talking sense into his dome about next contract and needing to downsize, here or elsewhere but that’s problematic with I’d imagine huge tax bill on the profit from selling the home for a lot more than he paid unless he can write off a hell of a lot of improvements.

Hope it’s number 2 and don’t let the door hit you in the butt on the way out of LA.

 

The dude is from LA, I wouldn't read anything into it.

 

Well come up with your own possible scenarios. All I was doing. Has to be some reason. Rather than your typical “meh” attitude regarding someone else’s take on the situation with Russ. Surprised you didn’t break out the LeBron and AD only playing 21 games together this season.

 

On Westbrook keep hope alive bro! On Lebron and AD, I hope to never say that again.