Russell Westbrick Discussion: Clipper Gonna Clip

I think it's more trying to save face. Rob and Bron don't want to publicly admit they were wrong and royaly f***ed up last summer. It's easier if they make Russ disgruntled and he pushes for a trade. You ask him to do his least favorite things, that might get him there.

 

Just bench his a**. Let him wear all these funky outfits.

 

f*** that moron... hope he f***ing retires due to being a moron.

 

i lol'd.

yeah, not sure if it's face-saving or just framing the narrative better than they did last year.

last year, it was "we've got to work this out". which russ took as "everyone has to let me do whatever i want and stfu". this time, they're specifically saying "work it out means your a** plays defense".

i agree with others that it will have zero effect on the court, as russ has proven that he's going to do what he wants. but this time, he can't act like he's shocked when he's benched. the expectations are clear.

 

The bolded.

There's a real possibility he requests out at some point during the year assuming he starts the season with us.

Reading between the lines: Rob is putting makeup on this pig right now.

 

The Lakers/Ham are delusional if they think they can get a 34 year old to suddenly play defense the first time in his career.

 

Him opting in and then getting disgruntled and asking to be traded sure’s not going to help our body positioning over the proverbial barrel. The only real value this jacka** has is his massive expiring contract at the deadline. Uggghhh … the worst strategic mistake in Lakers history.

 

If Darvin Ham gets him to play focused defense, he is HOF coach after 1 year lol.

I don't know that anyone is holding his breath, but if RW's energies were focused in that direction with his still substantial physical gifts, it's intriguing. But so much of defense is ingrained in WHO you are as a person and a player. I'm not sure that's a switch you can suddenly flip either, so it does feel like a well calculated exit strategy to some degree.

 

Westbrook can not be on the team next year, period, in anyway. If he is, the Lakers will fail and fail royally. Basketball players making 47 mil in their mid 30s don't miraculously change after destroying an entire franchise months before.

 

Skip getting under his skin

 

*sigh*

so disappointed he cares.

if you really care, shoot better.

otherwise, ignore the professional troll.

 

Skip’s entire career in the last decade or so has been based on talking crap on Lebron, and I’m not sure if Lebron has ever even acknowledged Skip.

Russ has such thin skin. Definitely not a good sign for the hopes that our “no nonsense” coach can get him to change his ways and be accountable.

 

OR....the intentional leaks about asking to finally play a lick of defense are designed precisely to work for a guy who responds to skip bayless.

oh, whatever...we're probably doomed if we can't move him.

 

And there’s this little gem from Magic

 

See when it’s time and necessary to call him out, in private if being kind at first, about his s****y defense …. I think Ham is imposing enough to do just that. To his face.

 

they need to trade him before the season starts or else it'll just be a repeat of last year

he simply can't play another game for the lakers

 

Someone has to point out if he won’t try to change he’ll likely never even sniff the mid level again in his career.

Same bleep as last year and no team. That’s pretty much right isn’t it?

 

This. There will probably be more and better deals to made at the deadline but we can't afford to start the season with him on the team. It'll be a wasted season again. We need to develop chemistry and an identify from the start.