Despite a flurry of trade rumors, the Los Angeles Lakers and their new head coach Darwin Ham seem to be planning to keep Russell Westbrook ahead of the start of the 2022-23 season.
In a recent interview with NBA insider Mark Spears of Andscape, Ham shared his master plan for Westbrook.
“I have a sincere plan, a clear plan of how I’m going to use it,” he said. “I showed him this, sat down, brought him things. I think he will thrive. We are not going to limit his energy. We’re just going to diversify it, redirect it.”
Towards the end of the 2021-22 season, under the leadership of former head coach Frank Vogel, Westbrook was on the bench several times.
Ham was asked if he plans to use Westbrook in the starting lineup next season.
“Yes, indeed. It’s just how we’re going to play and the type of people who will be there on the court is the most important thing,” he said.
Westbrook is coming off one of the worst seasons of his 14-year NBA career. Although he was originally supposed to be the last part of the Lakers’ “Big Three” with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the nine-time All-Star point guard struggled to fit into the Los Angeles system.
Perhaps Ham’s plan for Westbrook will help him get back to normal and improve the season.
