Westbrook A "Volcano" Ready to "Erupt", "Not A Great Fit" As A Starter

Russell Westbrook is averaging 17.8 points for the Los Angeles Lakers, on pace for his lowest output in 12 years. You have to go back eight years to find a lower number of field goal attempts per game (18), and his turnovers are at an alarming career-high 6 per game. Understandable, then, that a rival longtime scout told Sam Amick of The Athletic that Westbrook is a "volcano", ready to "erupt."

The scout insists that Westbrook belongs on the second unit, coming off the bench, since LeBron James and Anthony Davis aren't going to be changing the way they plan anytime soon. 

“To me, he’s best with the second unit, having the ball in his hands and pushing the pace. With (James), (Westbrook) will rebound and push it, but many times, no one runs with him… certainly not (James) or (Davis). He is a poor defender on a team FULL of poor defenders. Not a great fit there either. It is just a matter of time before the (Westbrook) volcano erupts. He is so passionate and being an LA kid, wants so badly to succeed … I just don’t see it as a great fit. (James) and (Davis) are NOT changing the way they play, nor can they.

The suggestion is that Westbrook could have more freedom to do his thing off the bench, with LeBron and AD not on the floor. And this isn't the first time an NBA insider has suggested this. 

Tim Legler just now on @FirstTake: if Russell Westbrook came off the bench for the #Lakers moving forward: “Landslide 6th Man of the Year Winner.” pic.twitter.com/2CTs9QZPkP

— Mike Goldfarb (@MikeGoldFool) October 20, 2021

Former player Tim Legler, NBA TV and radio analyst, suggested that Westbrook would be the landslide 6th Man of the Year if he committed himself to coming off the bench. 

The Lakers' net rating, according to Amick, is minus-9.3 with Westbrook on the court, and plus 12.7 when the mercurial guard is on the bench. 

The Lakers are currently sitting at 2-3, with an offensive rating of 12th, and a defensive rating of 25th, and that same anonymous scout went on to say that if things continue as is, he believes the Lakers are "a 5-7 seed and first-round exit in the playoffs.”

Photo Credit: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports