Russell Westbrook and Frank Vogel will most probably not return for the Lakers next season, but there are many more culprits for their failure.
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There are numerous good things that fall together for the ultimate success in a team sport. For failure, though, not so many are required. Russell Westbrook and Frank Vogel are two of the Lakers’ favorite scapegoats for their failure this season.
Nobody even cares about the fact that Anthony Davis was the centerpiece around which this squad of pretty old future Hall of Famers was made.
The 28-year-old has missed 26 games and is set to miss the rest of the regular season, meaning more than half of the season. But the 8-time All-Star doesn’t get half the blame for failing to maintain his fitness level for an elite-level basketball player.
And still, no one is getting the blame for all Lakers have lost this season more than Russell and coach Vogel. With one more year still left on his massive contract, there are already reports that the Purple and Gold team will not bring him back next season.
It’s impossible for Russell Westbrook to return to LA next season
According to the legendary NBA correspondent Marc Stein, it would be impossible for Westbrook to return to LA next season.
It’s ‘impossible’ that Russell Westbrook returns to LA next season, per @TheSteinLine
“One league source described the idea of bringing him back next season as ‘impossible’ based on current tension levels.”
(Via https://t.co/OoQsQy2wPt) pic.twitter.com/Dwk7JvJix3
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) March 5, 2022
Although there are stats that support the 2017 MVP’s case, there won’t be resistance in his court-martial from the Crypto.com Arena. Take this for an example.
Russell Westbrook stats without Lebron James this season : 17 games
– 21.4 Ppg
– 8.6 Apg
– 8.1 Rpg
– 44.8 Fg%
– 35.7 3pt% ( 4.9 Attempts )
– 72.2 Ft%
Russ is better as main ball handler and would be better if he was not being used as a spot up shooter pic.twitter.com/Gud3rzRkXz— ❼ (@KawhisGoats) March 5, 2022
Furthermore, LeBron James, barring his 1st season in the league is averaging the least plus-minus (-1.6) of his career along with a career-worst Net Rating of -2.1. He is also averaging the 2nd worst defensive rating (112) of his career.
But because he’s averaging close to 29-points per game in his 19th season, everything else is pardoned, right? The man might have planned to acquire Westbrook for the reason that if something goes South for his team, he must not be the man to take the fall.