Push inside the Lakers to demote Russell Westbrook to the bench

There has been an increasing push among many in the Los Angeles Lakers organization to demote nine-time All-Star guard Russell Westbrook from the starting lineup, but so far coach Frank Vogel has resisted bringing him off the bench, sources told ESPN.
Source: Adrian Wojnarowski @ ESPN

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Russell Westbrook on his game tonight that included 20 points on 9-of-17 shooting, four assists, five fouls and five turnovers: “Just trying to find ways to be active. That’s about it.” – 12:10 AM Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Russell Westbrook on LeBron James’ 56-point game pic.twitter.com/UbFmm0gFcq – 11:31 PM Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
LAL went up 119-112 with a ridiculous alley-oop dunk from LeBron (Monk pass), but then turned it over, unforced, on B2B possessions (Westbrook, then Anthony), with GSW scoring both times to get within 3 points.
Time out LAL, with 1:06 to play. – 10:59 PM Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Russell Westbrook is going to be in the closing lineup for this one. – 10:50 PM Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
“Look, I’m not saying the triangle would automatically fix Westbrook. I’m just saying, you never know until you try it.” AK pic.twitter.com/8TqgSsVE0C – 10:21 PM Ryan McDonough @McDNBA
6 of the 9 Lakers who played in the 1st half – Anthony, Monk, Bradley, Reaves, Johnson, Augustin – are on minimum salaried contracts
The only Lakers who played and make more than the minimum are LeBron, Westbrook and THT – 9:43 PM Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
The Lakers open the quarter with Russell Westbrook essentially at the 3, with Augustin-Bradley in the backcourt. Let’s get weird, baby! AK – 9:13 PM Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
First quarter: Lakers 32, Warriors 25
That was the Lakers’ best first quarter post-All-Star break. They lived at the rim, scoring 18 paint points. This small-ball starting group works well together. LeBron James has 13 points. Russell Westbrook has 6 points. – 9:08 PM Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
I came into this season thinking that the absolute worst-case scenario for Russell Westbrook was that he’d be something resembling bubble Rondo, and if he was, this team would still be pretty good.
It’s about as wrong as I’ve ever been about a Lakers topic. – 9:08 PM Monte Poole @MontePooleNBCS
Klay lets Westbrook beat him on a back cut. Layup. – 8:53 PM Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
This Lakers roster is full of former stars who have effectively transitioned into role players. Dwight Howard. Carmelo Anthony. Rajon Rondo earlier on.
Russell Westbrook has so many examples to look up to and he’s rejecting them all. His pride is more important than winning. – 8:39 PM Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn
ESPN Sources: There’s an increasing push among many in the Lakers organization to demote nine-time All-Star Russell Westbrook from the starting lineup, but so far coach Frank Vogel has resisted bringing him off the bench: es.pn/3sKJXe5 – 8:28 PM Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Despite some questions about it, Russell Westbrook is in the Lakers starting lineup for tonight’s game vs the Warriors. – 8:01 PM Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Report: Lakers got pushback from Westbrook on changing role, “impossible” he returns nba.nbcsports.com/2022/03/05/rep… – 8:00 PM

More on this storyline

The coaching staff and Westbrook have had differing visions on how best to utilize the 2017 NBA Most Valuable Player, and that has partly accounted for some tense moments between Vogel and Westbrook in the past several days, including during a Friday team film session, sources told ESPN. -via ESPN / March 5, 2022 Jousting with reporters in press conferences is apparently not the lone source of pushback these days from under-fire guard Russell Westbrook. There has been no shortage of defiance behind the scenes, I’m told, when coaches and teammates have tried to broach changes in role or approach with the former MVP. For all the obvious complexities involved in trying to move Westbrook when he’s owed a whopping $47 million next season at age 34, one league source described the idea of bringing him back next season as “impossible” based on current tension levels. The question then becomes: If the Lakers can’t construct a palatable trade, do they try to just buy Westbrook out? Or waive and stretch him? -via marcstein.substack.com / March 5, 2022 LeBron James was a strong advocate for the trade that brought Westbrook to Hollywood and thus has to wear his considerable slice of culpability for how poorly things are working out. Yet one source did point out at least one counter on James’ behalf, noting that he was also one of the organization’s staunchest Alex Caruso fans and badly wanted the Lakers to re-sign the defensive-minded guard. The Lakers, despite all of their considerable revenue streams, refused to offer a contract on par with the four-year, $37 million deal Caruso landed from Chicago because of the luxury-tax implications. The injuries that have limited Davis to 37 games have done the most damage to the Lakers’ 17th-ranked defense, but Caruso’s departure was another big hit. 1:28 -via marcstein.substack.com / March 5, 2022