Russell Westbrook's statement on the Lakers' title aspirations won't please LA fans

The Los Angeles Lakers made several big moves during the NBA offseason in an attempt to go back to the top of the league. Obviously, Russell Westbrook’s addition wasn’t only the most notable but also the most controversial.

For years, people have questioned whether Westbrook has what it takes to lead a team to a championship. His erratic decision-making and reluctance to give up the ball when it matters the most have raised some questions about his leadership.

That’s why recently, an anonymous scout called LeBron James out, stating that he’s ‘a bad GM’ for making the Lakers trade for Russell Westbrook; once again stating that James pulls the strings of the team he plays for.

NBA Scout Calls LeBron James A Bad GM

“LeBron’s a bad GM; Russ is not a good fit there,” the unnamed scout told Bleacher Report.“He doesn’t need an older roster around him. They still need LeBron to do everything—not a good recipe for this stage of his career.”

Russell Westbrook Doesn’t Care If The Lakers Win A Ring

Whether LeBron is the one who calls the shots for the Lakers or not, Westbrook’s fit was always questionable. Moreover, it also seems like he’s not mentally on the same page as the rest of the team, as he’s not unbothered by the idea of not winning a ring:

(Transcript via ESPN)

“Russ reminds me of Allen Iverson, wanting to win but wanting to win on his terms,” one Eastern Conference executive told ESPN. “If he can take a step back and win in L.A., it will validate everything else he’s done in the league.”

Westbrook, when informed of the Iverson parallel, pushed back.

“I disagree for multiple reasons,” Westbrook told ESPN. “No. 1, I believe that I am a one-of-a-kind player, and I respect Allen and respect everything he’s done for the game, but I’m not comparable to Allen Iverson by any means. No. 2, is that I’ve been probably — I feel, myself — always trying to fit in to do the best for the betterment of the team. And I’ve always done that in my career, and I’ll continue to do that and whatever happens, happens. If we win a championship, cool. If we don’t, I’m OK with that too and life goes on.”

That’s the last thing Lakers fans want to hear from the All-Star guard making $44 million this season. This historied franchise is used to competing at the highest level and they’re held to different standards, so it’ll be interesting to see how the fans will react to his words.