The Los Angeles Clippers took a risk when they acquired Russell Westbrook. It wasn’t a big risk, as they got him at a discount and on a rental until the end of the season, and he was one of their best players down the stretch. That’s why bringing him back was a no-brainer, especially considering the massive pay cut he took to be there.
Fast forward to today, and they’ve also added James Harden to the mix. They’ve gone 0-3 since inserting the former MVP into the lineup, and while he’s not the one to blame for that — and neither is Russ — Westbrook might be the one who suffers because of his arrival.
Tyronn Lue has had his four stars on the court in the starting lineup. However, the early returns haven’t been favorable. Their offense has gone stagnant and dormant at times, and having Westbrook standing on the corner while Harden dribbles for 10+ seconds isn’t the most efficient way to play in today’s NBA.
All teams need time to make adjustments, and it was natural to expect some growing pains with Harden’s arrival, as they also had to give up plenty of depth to get him. They might still be able to turn things around sooner rather than later, but for now, it seems like bringing Westbrook off the bench would make the most sense.
Russell Westbrook
Westbrook Should Lead The Second Unit
Shifting Westbrook to the second unit wouldn’t be using him as the fall guy or pointing the finger at him for the team’s struggles. That would be unfair and inaccurate. Still, given Harden’s history of ego issues — and the fact that he’s their new star — he’s not going to come off the bench.
Westbrook has already proved that he’s able to embrace that role. He did it with this very same team last season during stretches. This way, the Clippers would get an instant offensive spark off the bench, a great playmaker who’ll get everyone his touches, and the best backup point guard in the league.
Having Westbrook and Harden on the court at the same time worked in Houston, but that was four years ago. They don’t need two ball-dominant playmakers, especially if Westbrook has never been most of a catch-and-shoot guy or a player who’s efficient wandering around the corner.
Tyronn Lue Has Enough Weapons
Also, getting Westbrook off the bench doesn’t necessarily mean his minutes have to take a bump. If anything, Coach Lue can stagger the minutes of all his star players to make sure to always have two or three of them on the court at the same time.
Kawhi Leonard and Paul George
Sometimes, Harden will get to have the rock on his hands in crunch time. On other days, it’ll be Westbrook’s turn, as they could just take a ‘hot-hand’ kind of approach. As for Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, having another star on the team will allow both of them to stay fresh for when it matters the most.
see also
How the James Harden trade will reshape the NBA landscape
A second unit led by Westbrook, Norman Powell, and Terance Mann would be one of the best in the league by a significant margin, not to mention the fact that they would finally have an insurance policy for their injury-prone superstars. It’s not a demotion; it’s a personnel shuffle, and it’s for the best.
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