Windhorst: Lakers 'Mystifying' NBA with Treatment of Russell Westbrook, LeBron James

People around the NBA are reportedly confused by Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham seemingly doing more to accommodate Russell Westbrook than LeBron James.

During an appearance Friday on NBA Today, ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst discussed the overall feeling on the Lakers' situation within the league:

"What the league—and I feel the same way—has some question about is, in this interim, in these games now, why are the Lakers prioritizing making sure Russell Westbrook is comfortable when they should be prioritizing LeBron James [being] comfortable?" Windhorst said. "They are bending over backwards—and they did it again last night when they were playing the exact style of ball that LeBron wants, which is defense and grind it out. And they bring Russ back in the fourth quarter because they're trying not to alienate him.

"From the day that Darvin Ham took over, his number one priority has been what? Maximizing the team around the all-time generational player still providing huge numbers, or dealing with the guy who's past his prime, who's too surly to understand the reality? And that is what is mystifying the league as they watch the Lakers start this season. Why are they not doing what's most important for their best player?"

The Lakers are three seasons removed from winning a championship with James and Anthony Davis leading the way, but they have largely struggled since then.

Following a first-round exit in the 2021 playoffs, the Lakers acquired Westbrook in a trade with the Washington Wizards in hopes that he could form a Big Three with LeBron and AD. Early returns on the experiment haven't been good, however.

With James and Davis missing significant time due to injury last season, Westbrook was called upon to be the Lakers' go-to player more often than not, and it simply didn't click for a team that finished with a losing record and missed the playoffs.

L.A. perhaps would have been happy to move on from Westbrook during the offseason, but he opted into the final year of his contract, and his large salary combined with his declining skills makes him nearly impossible to trade.

Nothing has happened early this season to suggest that things are going to get better for the Lakers, as they are 0-2 and Westbrook is coming off an awful offensive game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday.

In 27 minutes of action, Westbrook scored just two points on 0-of-11 shooting to go along with five steals, four assists and three rebounds.

The Lakers took an 89-87 lead with eight minutes left in Thursday's game, and James' strong play had plenty to do with it, as he registered 20 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.

Westbrook re-entered the game with 5:39 left, though, and it didn't go well, as he missed both of the shots he attempted from that point forward and the Clippers ended up winning by six.

Based on what Windhorst is saying himself and on behalf of people within the NBA, there is apparently a belief that Ham should worry less about appeasing Westbrook and more about putting James in a position to succeed.