Lakers' Russell Westbrook, Darvin Ham Discussed PG's Remarks About Injury, Bench Role
Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham had a "brief discussion" with Russell Westbrook after the star guard asserted that coming off the bench in a preseason game might have led him to suffer a hamstring injury.
Ham supported the Lakers medical staff and told reporters he'll do what's best for the team when it comes to Westbrook's role:
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Westbrook logged just five minutes off the bench in Los Angeles' preseason finale. He left the game with a minor hamstring issue.
The Lakers opened the 2022-23 season with a 123-109 loss to the Golden State Warriors. Westbrook started and played 31 minutes. After the game, he expressed how altering his routine in the preseason "absolutely" might have led to him getting hurt:
How Ham handles Westbrook figures to be one of the Lakers' biggest storylines this year.
The nine-time All-Star has been declining for some time, and his days of being even a serviceable starter on a title contender could be over. Moving him into the second unit might be his best fit for Los Angeles.
However, Westbrook's comments underscore how that process can be much easier said than done when you're demoting somebody of his stature.
Over his first 14 seasons in the NBA, the 33-year-old was accustomed to a certain pregame routine.
When you're a starter, you know you're going to be on the floor at tipoff, and you know you'll have some time to get into the flow of on-court action. You can also feel confident knowing a few missed shots won't result in a quick hook back to the bench.
Those same luxuries don't necessarily come with a reserve role, and it can obviously require a big adjustment. That's especially true for a player such as Westbrook, a ball-dominant guard whose playing style lacks any real subtlety.
This all might be a moot point since Westbrook continues to be part of the Lakers starting lineup. But Ham seems perfectly willing to make the change if need be, at which point the onus will be on the veteran guard to adjust to his new normal.
