Russell Westbrook is arguably the most criticized future Hall of Famer in NBA history. Even when he won, he was called a stat-padder, so it seems like most attacks toward him are either personal or flat-out hating.
But no one could deny that Westbrook wasn’t a good fit for the Los Angeles Lakers, and he never was. He hurt them on the court last season, and reports state that he did the same off the court this one.
It seemed like Russ and the Lakers had found some middle ground with him coming off the bench. Nonetheless, the latest reports reveal that he didn’t respect coach Darvin Ham anymore, and his presence in the locker room became toxic.
NBA News: Russell Westbrook Didn’t Respect Darvin Ham
(Transcript via The Athletic)
“But when Ham turned his attention to Westbrook and his specific individual struggles, sources say the future Hall of Famer appeared to take it personally. As had been the case so many times before, when the coaching staff struggled with Westbrook’s unwillingness to be held accountable for his play, Westbrook wasn’t hearing it.
Ham, sources say, was upset at a number of on-court developments from the first half. But the final straw, it seems, was Westbrook’s choice to walk off the court so slowly after he was replaced late in the second quarter. For both parties, the topic of great disagreement centered on respect — or lack thereof. In the end, with the tension in the room adding to the toxicity of their environment yet again, they agreed to disagree.”
Westbrook has been criticized for his refusal to be held accountable, and Ham wanted everybody to be responsible and embrace criticism. Also, to be fair to Russ, all the trade chatter about Kyrie and wanting to get rid of him also took a toll on him.
At the end of the day, it’s nice that Westbrook will now get the opportunity to play somewhere where he’s truly appreciated. As for the Lakers, it’s nice that they got rid of that toxic presence in their locker room. That’s a true win-win situation.