Russell Westbrook was the Los Angeles Lakers’ scapegoat throughout last season. He was a poor fit for the roster, played little-to-no defense, and missed some big shots. But he wasn’t the only one to blame for their shortcomings.
Westbrook and the fans never got on the same page. His wife got death threats, and he constantly spoke out about the harassment he went through in his first season with the purple and gold.
The Lakers were also actively shopping him for months. So, it’s not like he wouldn’t welcome a trade away from the team. However, when asked about it, the former MVP claims that he doesn’t need the team to want him to do his job.
NBA News: Westbrook Says He Doesn’t Need To Be Wanted
(Via Adrian Wojnarowski)
“Russell Westbrook was wearing a bucket hat, flip-flops and a smile inside the conference room in his Avenue of the Stars offices. Trade talks stalled, training camp on the cusp and Westbrook hardly had to consider the question: Do you feel wanted by the Los Angeles Lakers?
‘I don’t need to,’ Westbrook told ESPN recently. ‘I need to just do my job. Whether I’m wanted or not doesn’t really matter. I think the most important thing is that I show up for work and I do the job like I’ve always done it: Be professional and go out and play my a** off and compete.'”
Westbrook Says He’d Accept A Role Off The Bench
There have also been plenty of rumors about Westbrook potentially coming off the bench, especially after the Lakers signed Dennis Schroder. When asked about it, he confirmed he would embrace that role if needed:
(Via Woj)
“Westbrook spoke of getting back to work in the gym sooner in the past offseason than he has ever done in his career, about a summer full of conversations with Lakers coach Darvin Ham, about a ‘connection’ and ‘trust’ with Ham’s vision to utilize him in a way that impacts winning on these Lakers.
Maybe that’s as a starter or maybe it’s off the bench. ‘I’m all-in on whatever it takes for this team to win,’ Westbrook said. ‘I’m prepared for whatever comes my way.'”
Westbrook isn’t the only one to blame for the team’s terrible season. But he also needs to take a head-on approach to next season and silence his critics once and for all, so it’s glad to hear he’s on board with whatever the team needs from him.
