The Los Angeles Lakers had some real struggles incorporating star point guard Russell Westbrook into their offense last season. With just one preseason game left before the start of the NBA season, the team is experimenting with how they want to use Westbrook moving forward.
According to NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the Lakers plan on bringing Russell Westbrook off the bench for the final preseason game on Friday against the Sacramento Kings.
There have been reports circulating throughout the NBA offseason of this possibility for Los Angeles, so it isn’t shocking to see them try this experiment in the preseason.
It was clear last season that Westbrook and Lakers star LeBron James did not work together smoothly, and Westbrook manning the primary ball-handler role off the bench is certainly an intriguing possibility for the Lakers.
That being said, it is certainly strange to see a former MVP award winner like Westbrook see his role diminish so drastically that he may not even be a starter to begin the year.
This may end up being an absolute disaster or a huge success for the Lakers, and many are excited to watch either possibility on Friday night.
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If this backup role does stick for Westbrook on the Lakers, this would make him far and away the most expensive bench player for any team in NBA history.
It remains to be seen exactly how Westbrook truly feels about this decision coming from the Lakers.
Regardless of whether or not it works, new head coach Darvin Ham is certainly shaking things up in Los Angeles, for better or for worse.