Lost Angeles

The Lakers have a problem and Russell Westbrook can be the solution

The Lakers are currently one of 3 NBA teams that have not won a game this season, yet they have the 4th-best defensive rating in the league.

Let that sink in for a moment. They are defending at an elite level and yet can’t find a way to get a win. The source of their issues is an offensive rating that is the worst in the NBA by, well, a long shot.

Their three-point percentage sits at 22%, a historically (and unsustainably) bad number that is already drawing the ire of Lakers’ fans. The frequent wayward shots are leading to fast-break opportunities for opponents (the Lakers are also terrible on the offensive glass) and keeping LA from winning enough of the little battles to claim victory in the big one.

Russell Westbrook, who may or may not get too much of the blame for the Lakers’ problems, is the only one who can save the purple and gold from another embarrassing season.

Well, Westbrook’s contract can, anyway.

The Lakers found out in Wednesday night’s loss to the Denver Nuggets that simply being Westbrook-less is not enough to change their fortunes. The controversial point guard hasn’t been a positive for the team so far this season, shooting just 8% from three and 28% from the field. It’s early, but conversations about whether or not Westbrook is long for the NBA are already happening.

In other words, it’s looking doubtful that a Darvin Ham-inspired resurgence is coming for the former MVP.

A lingering hamstring injury¹ kept Westbrook out of action against Denver, and the hope was that his absence would provide oxygen both on and off the court, even in the Mile High City. Instead, the Lakers lacked urgency, for the first time this season putting on the kind of joyless, lethargic performance that was the hallmark of their 2021-2022 campaign.

No, just banishing Westbrook won’t be enough to save this team. Even LeBron James and Anthony Davis can’t manufacture wins while getting no production out of a $47 million dollar contract.

Another truth: even if Westbrook provides the best version of himself² that can realistically be expected at this stage, he can't solve this team’s problems from on the court. The Lakers are shooting 22% from three through four games as teams continue to be more than happy to let LA shoot themselves right out of games. They punish LA for missed box-outs, snatching away critical, momentum-killing rebounds.

Westbrook doesn’t help in those areas³, nor does he provide the size to help them on the wing, where they get bullied with the 6’4” Lonnie Walker masquerading as a small forward. For years, the Lakers have been undersized on the wing and it continues to be a problem this season.

Of course, that’s not Walker’s fault. I’ve been saying all offseason that LA’s roster is imbalanced and screaming for a trade, and nothing we’ve seen through the first four games changes that stance. The only shot LA has, should they decide the roster is worth saving (perhaps a difficult conversation to have) is to turn Westbrook’s $47 million contract into players that can. help plug the numerous holes on the roster.

The price will be draft capital. Their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks are available, as Rob Pelinka explained on Media Day. LA turned down opportunities to add Buddy Hield and Myles Turner before the season began, with the thought being that something better would come along after the dust settles a bit around the league.

Now we know they can’t wait that long. The hole you dig can quickly turn into a grave in the brutally talented Western Conference. Soon, the Lakers will be faced with an even more difficult decision than whether or not to trade Westbrook.

Perhaps it’s time to sheepishly call Pawnee back, hat in hand, and see if they are still willing to do the deal? Or call up Danny Ainge with Utah (always a dangerous thing to do). Perhaps the Spurs would be willing to shed some of their wings after accidentally winning 3 games, damaging their tanking efforts?

A deal around Westbrook with any of them could provide the Lakers with the firepower to not be this bad all season, which might be a necessity after what the organization put fans through last year. Patience is long gone and anger is growing among the Lakers’ legion of supporters as faith in the decision-makers slumps lower.

Trading Westbrook is the last card they have to play, and they have to get it right or the long-term consequences will be dire.

Of course, there is a (gulp) more drastic option that exists.

There is a scene in the old mountain climbing film Vertical Limit where siblings played by Chris O’Donnell⁴ and Robin Tunney are faced with a difficult choice: cut the rope that is holding their father to prevent it from dragging them all down or try to keep all three alive in an increasingly perilous situation. As the situation worsens their father insists that they cut the rope in order to save themselves while he falls to his death.

The Lakers’ season, should they continue to lose games, may soon present a similar question: do they attempt to save the 2022-2023 campaign or cut it loose so they can live to fight another day with draft capital and cap space intact?

Of course, it’s far too early for that kind of haunting decision. The NBA season is 82 games long and we are only 4 games into it. The hope is that the Lakers’ current free-fall can be stabilized and that they can give themselves an opportunity to field the best Westbrook trades possible before making a decision, ideally one that will propel them back to contention.

But that means winning games, and the clock is already ticking. The next opportunity for a win comes on Friday in Minnesota.

Trauma For Wembanyama

Pelicans fans taking joy in the Lakers’ struggles (the Pels have a pick swap with LA this season) may be excited to hear that they can see more of Victor Wembanyama this season, as the NBA announced that they will be featuring all of Metropolitans 92’s games on the NBA app.

It’s an interesting decision by the league to so prominently feature a player who is not yet in the NBA, but given the level of interest in Wembanyama from basketball fans, it makes sense and will serve to increase the intrigue around the tank race this season.

Speaking of which, as my Front Office Show co-host Keith Smith noted, it is slightly sadistic for the NBA to warn teams that they are keeping a close eye on tanking while simultaneously dangling Wembanyama in front of them all season.

Like putting lasagna in front of Garfield all day and then getting mad at him for gaining weight⁵.

Quick Notes

• The Blazers’ shocking 4-0 start came to an abrupt halt last night at the hands of the hands of the Heat. Even worse, they lost Damian Lillard to a calf strain. The feel-good team of the NBA’s first week could find themselves in a tough spot with a four-game stretch playing the Rockets, Grizzlies, and Suns (twice!) on deck.

• The Nets, who acted as the Britanic to the Lakers’ Titanic last season, again join LA in infamy, possessing one of the worst defensive ratings in the league and a record of just 1-3. After Kevin Durant’s league-halting trade demand last summer, all eyes will be on the Nets to see what happens if they can’t turn this rocky start around. Could Kyrie Irving, now on an expiring contract, hit the trade market after all?

• Kawhi Leonard’s injury status is already something to watch, as he’s already having stiffness in his surgically-repaired knee despite coming off the bench and playing limited minutes for the Clippers. Not good for a talented player, but at least he doesn’t play for the Lakers, where his injury status would be mocked around the league.

• Plenty more coming to Lane’s Letters, so please make sure you subscribe if you haven’t already! And help me get the word out by sharing!

1. He pushed through the pain to dance his way into the arena somehow; a true triumph of the human spirit over the limitations of our mortal shells.

2. Doing what he’s doing now defensively while being much more choosy with his shot selection and much more efficient in making the shots he does take.

3. To be fair, Westbrook is an excellent rebounder for a guard but has terrible box out habits.

4. “Holy rusted metal, Batman!”

5. Also myself, with Cheez Its