Lakers coach Ham: Lakers' struggles last season weren't all Russell Westbrook's fault, unfair it's all heaped on Russ

Darvin Ham: We’ve all had years where we could have done better, had better performances or circumstances didn’t quite go our way. And I think just everyone knows what type of year the Lakers went through last year. And it wasn’t all Russell Westbrook’s fault. When you go back and look at the games missed by LeBron James at different segments add a different set. Those three (Westbrook, James and Anthony Davis) only got to play a total of 22 games together. You’re talking about an 82-game season. And so just the different various energy injuries with people within the lineup that were dependent upon within the rotation. Russ having to carry a load and you’re trying to go sign, G League guys, you got COVID, people being put in the protocol because of the COVID. So for all of this to be heaped on Russ, it’s kind of unfair, in a sense and unfair reality, to be quite honest.
Source: The Ringer

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Sam Vecenie @Sam_Vecenie
GAME THEORY PODCAST: @Fred Katz is here! We chat about two topics: Donovan Mitchell and Russell Westbrook. What does Mitchell on the Knicks potentially look like? And where does Russell Westbrook go from here?
APPLE: https://t.co/vlp7lxcMsl
WATCH: https://t.co/fX0Wsi9lDI pic.twitter.com/O8Vjc70aCI – 9:49 AM Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
One of my favorite weekly conversations, with @CRobinsonNBC — Corey Robinson, son of NBA legend David (and ND wide out) — talking NBA, also some art and pizza. It’s now a regular part of the PBT podcast. We get into Ayton, Westbrook, Mitchell, much more.
nba.nbcsports.com/2022/07/20/pbt… – 11:04 PM Sam Vecenie @Sam_Vecenie
GAME THEORY PODCAST: @Fred Katz joins the show! We dive deep into two topics: Donovan Mitchell and Russell Westbrook.
Should the Knicks go all-in for Mitchell? How would he fit? What’s the trade?
And simply, where does Russ go from here?
LIVE IN 10 MINS: youtube.com/watch?v=x2YD6N… – 9:03 PM Quinton Mayo @RealQuintonMayo
These new “reports” are piling on Westbrook for no reason. It’s wild. – 6:11 PM Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
NEW @TheCrossover Pod w/@Howard Beck: A wild week for Russell Westbrook, the Donovan Mitchell chatter picks up (hello, Knicks) and more. Links: bit.ly/2w1G5e2 – 6:10 PM Wayne Cole @waynec0le
I caught up with Evina Westbrook and discussed her signing a contract with the Washington Mystics. She said it felt “amazing” and “it’s like a weight lifted off you,” Evina said she can focus on basketball and getting better each day. – 2:32 PM Sam Vecenie @Sam_Vecenie
Thought this was good from @Jovan Buha on the Lakers situation with Russell Westbrook. theathletic.com/3429844/2022/0… – 2:18 AM Kyle Goon @kylegoon
The Lakers worked hard last month to make it seem as though Year 2 with Russell Westbrook could actually happen. But the last two weeks have dramatically undermined that posturing: ocregister.com/2022/07/19/lak… – 5:21 PM Dwight Jaynes @dwightjaynes
And check out the RT on this Westbrook tweet: twitter.com/scottbrooks_?s… – 2:14 PM Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Regardless of what’s said and what rumors surface, the Russell Westbrook speculation will continue, and here are new odds on which team could be his next, via @bookies pic.twitter.com/hd1eqWhHgF – 1:54 PM Quinton Mayo @RealQuintonMayo
Hearing that Los Angeles Lakers PG Russell Westbrook is strongly considering signing with Excel Sports Management. – 11:12 AM Get Up @GetUpESPN
“Who wants Russell Westbrook? … He’s just not the same player he used to be.”
😳 @Nick Friedell pic.twitter.com/KFqOMC41JI – 10:53 AM Zach Lowe @ZachLowe_NBA
Lowe Post podcast: @Dave McMenamin on the Lakers situation, Russell Westbrook trade rumors, LeBron’s future, more; then @Chris Herring and I on the (offseason) silence of the Chicago Bulls — and where they go from here:
Apple: apple.co/3ILmBeM
Spotify: spoti.fi/3zfyINT – 7:41 PM Micah Adams @MicahAdams13
4th quarter net rating…
LeBron + AD + Westbrook: -13.0
2012 Bobcats: -11.8
The Lakers Small 3 was worse in the 4th quarter than a team that went 7-59.
But sure, huddle up and get the band back together baby!
youtu.be/iFByq-wZgFc – 7:22 PM Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Report: Lakers’ Westbrook, LeBron, Davis talk on phone, vow to “make it work” nba.nbcsports.com/2022/07/18/rep… – 7:15 PM StatMuse @statmuse
Most 10-assist games by active players:
552 — Chris Paul
380 — Russell Westbrook
336 — Rajon Rondo
297 — LeBron James
270 — John Wall pic.twitter.com/nCwHoY7bXe – 7:13 PM NBA Math @NBA_Math
🗣NEW @HardwoodKnocks
📋 Russell Westbrook is NOT the Lakers’ Biggest Problem
🔘 Russ discourse/Lakers blame game (1:53)
🔘 Westbrook trades (24:23)
🎧 https://t.co/DRG5m00uCj
🍎 https://t.co/lQbiUB5OU6
https://t.co/ykZw8Q8Szd
📺 https://t.co/n5BsDFPQJT pic.twitter.com/tgKzIYwo8u – 6:28 PM Chris Haynes @ChrisBHaynes
Los Angeles Lakers’ Big 3 of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook huddled for a phone conversation to confirm their commitment to each other through the uncertainty, league sources told @YahooSports: sports.yahoo.com/sources-lebron… – 6:06 PM StatMuse @statmuse
Most seasons to average a triple-double:
4 — Russell Westbrook
1 — Oscar Robertson pic.twitter.com/LdiDyLDJwD – 5:02 PM Tom Petrini @RealTomPetrini
If Russell Westbrook got traded to the Spurs, it would be a purely financial transaction.
San Antonio would get one or more picks at the cost of buying out his awful contract.
He wouldn’t suit up in Silver and Black, and that should be fairly obvious. – 3:20 PM Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Rumor: Russell Westbrook-LeBron James relationship frosty nba.nbcsports.com/2022/07/18/rum… – 2:00 PM StatMuse @statmuse
Most triple-doubles over the last 6 seasons:
157 — Russell Westbrook
76 — Nikola Jokic
63 — LeBron James
60 — James Harden
46 — Luka Doncic
32 — Ben Simmons
Russ has more than Jokic and LeBron combined. pic.twitter.com/9jayQFQoJU – 12:23 PM Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
Monday’s @LockedOnLakers podcast! We discuss Westbrook splitting from agent Thad Foucher, Foucher’s “whoa!” statement, and LeBron/Rich Paul seemingly trolling the situation. #FirstListen @LockedOnNetwork @LockedOnNBAPods
Subscribe. Rate. Enjoy. Thx!
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/loc… – 11:53 AM

More on this storyline

Talkin’ NBA: “Things have not moved in terms of the Brooklyn front … There has been some talks reengaged between the Lakers and the Pacers that would center around Buddy Hield.” — Dave McMenamin #NBATwitter #LakeShow -via Twitter @_Talkin_NBA / July 20, 2022 Talkin’ NBA: “There’s a close eye being kept on what next step is here.” — Brian Windhorst -via Twitter @_Talkin_NBA / July 20, 2022 Jovan Buha: From stuff I heard last season, like during film sessions, he would you know push back on stuff that was very obvious of like, ‘Hey, you missed this defensive rotation’. He did not like being the center of attention in those film sessions. -via Spotify / July 20, 2022