mobile app bar

Skip Bayless claims new Back-Court Duo for Lakers is better than $47 Million Russell Westbrook

Arun Sharma
Published

"Russell Westbrook Rocking The Baby on De'Aaron Fox, Pathetic!": Skip Bayless Rips Into the $47 Million Man

Skip Bayless sleeps well knowing that he starts a dumpster fire every day on Twitter –  this time he picks on Russell Westbrook.

Russell Westbrook has seen his stock fall dramatically over the past year, and Skip Bayless is loving it. He’s never liked anyone apart from Michael Jordan and players from the Spurs. Bayless did not pick on Westbrook as much until he chose to sign with the Lakers. And then everything changed.

A man who has white hair in his nostrils should not speak of a former MVP in this way-not when his basketball IQ is lower than his age. But he still does, because there are fans of the self-claimed best analyst who find his tweets funny. Not “ha ha” funny, but “funny how he thinks he’s still relevant” funny.

The Lakers are trying to shore up their obvious weak areas. They’ve picked up a defensive guard in Beverley and brought back an offensive tandem in Dennis Schroder. The cotton-topped analyst thinks both of them are better solutions than the man who averaged 18.5 points in his worst year since his rookie season.

If anyone is to be blamed, it is the Lakers for choosing to go with him in the first place. Westbrook never asked to come to the Lakers; he enjoyed playing wherever he went. But playing in his home city has sapped that happiness out of him. Much of that is attributed to Bayless and his younger counterpart, Stephen A. Smith.

Also Read: “Who wouldn’t ask for Russell Westbrook”: Draymond Green’s unfiltered response to Lakers fiasco

Russell Westbrook is a man who does not deserve this sort of vitriol – but analysts think it fun to pick on a soft-spoken doting dad

Looking at a simple comparison between the three guards, one can see Russell Westbrook would still perform if the system changed. A man who always played with the ball in his hand was asked to play off it. His rhythm was completely altered, causing his stats to drop. Yes, he made quite a few mistakes, but he showed up every day to try.

In comparison to his off-year stats, Patrick Beverley had the best year of his life, right? Not even close. He scored 9 points, taking seven shots a game. For all the defensive games he claims, the offense is lacking. Why is it that Westbrook gets berated for not defending, but Pat Bev doesn’t get chided for not scoring?

Dennis Schroeder is back on the Lakers’ team for a minimum deal after letting go of a potential 80 million. While that is the greatest fumble in the history of the game, his numbers when he played with LeBron James weren’t so great either. He was NOT the guy we’ve seen play in the Euro Basket games; he was just another average guard who struggled with the King.

The only guard who could play alongside him was Alex Caruso—because he covered for Bron’s defence (or lack thereof). Maybe Beverley is that guy who can replicate that dynamic.

Skip Bayless will look to have many more giddy nights tweeting about Bron and Russ’s failures. A guy who looks like he would fit in well with the extras of The Walking Dead does not deserve to speak about professional athletes this way.

Also Read: “Only Russell Westbrook can stop Kevin Durant”: Damian Lillard once called out 2017 MVP’s ball-stopping tendencies

About the author

Arun Sharma

Arun Sharma

instagram-iconlinkedin-icon

Arun Sharma is an NBA Editor at The SportsRush. A double degree holder and a digital marketer by trade, Arun has always been a sports buff. He fell in love with the sport of basketball at a young age and has been a Lakers fan since 2006. What started as a Kobe Bryant obsession slowly turned into a lifelong connection with the purple and gold. Arun has been an ardent subscriber to the Mamba mentality and has shed tears for a celebrity death only once in his life. He believes January 26, 2020, was the turning point in the passage of time because Kobe was the glue holding things together. From just a Lakers bandwagoner to a basketball fanatic, Arun has spent 16 long years growing up along with the league. He thinks Stephen Curry has ruined basketball forever, and the mid-range game is a sight to behold. Sharma also has many opinions about football (not the American kind), F1, MotoGP, tennis, and cricket.

Share this article