The 2021-22 NBA season has been a complete disaster for the Los Angeles Lakers and there’s nothing they can do to change that. But what they can control is how they respond next year.
With Frank Vogel no longer at the helm, Darvin Ham has to turn many things around to get the team back into the postseason. One of biggest challenges ahead of him is to help Russell Westbrook recover the best version of himself.
Brodie moved to California last year after a blockbuster trade with the Wizards, butnothing went according to plan. While many blamed LeBron James for it, Cari Champion said on her show that The King wanted to join forces with DeMar DeRozan instead of Russ.
NBA Rumors: LeBron James preferred DeMar DeRozan instead of Russell Westbrook
(Transcript via Fadeaway World)
“Now you know the story was DeMar DeRozan could have been a Laker… I remember specifically, he meeting with LeBron, he was saying Rob wasn’t trying to give him the years, he wanted the years…
“LeBron wanted him, and he was still under the impression that he was going to be a Laker until they signed Russell Westbrook. I ran into LeBron at an event, and he goes, ‘Well, I was trying to get DeMar…”
Considering how things have gone for the Lakers and the Bulls this season, it’s impossible not to wonder what could have been if it was DeRozan and not Westbrook the one who moved to Los Angeles.
However, that’s part of the past now and the Lakers have to move on. While many have given up on Brodie, Darvin Ham is convinced that there’s still a lot left in his tank. Only time will tell whether he’s right or not.