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Matt Barnes put it on LeBron James to adjust to allow Russell Westbrook to be at his best for the LA Lakers. When forced to alter his game last season, “Russ” failed, leading to endless rumors that the Lakers were desperate to trade him.
Dennis Schroder named Darvin Ham the biggest reason to play again for the LA Lakers. The German international sent feelers to LeBron James via social media that he was seriously interested in playing for the Lakers again.
Lakers team governor Jeanie Buss opened up on her decision to swing big for Anthony Davis in 2019. The move allowed her to pair AD with “King James” and bring championship #17 to LA.
LeBron James has to sacrifice more for Russell Westbrook to thrive with the LA Lakers, according to Matt Barnes
Matt Barnes doesn’t share the opinion of most basketball analysts who blamed Russell Westbrook for the LA Lakers’ poor 2021-22 season. The former NBA journeyman put it to LeBron James to make the necessary adjustments to accommodate the former OKC Thunder superstar.
Barnes had this to say about the Lakers’ Westbrook situation in an interview with three-time Super Bowl winner Shannon Sharpe:
“I think Bron may have to take a small step back to allow Russ to be Russ. You think – you get older, your game’s going to change a little bit. You’re going to find a way. I think Russ is going to be Russ. And I think what makes him great sometimes is his downfall."
The former Laker suggested that Russell Westbrook could be allowed to handle a primary playmaking role in the first two quarters. He mentioned that LeBron James can turn his game anytime he wants to help maximize Westbrook in the lineup.
Letting Westbrook orchestrate the offense will also help lighten James’ load. Last season, former coach Frank Vogel tried the same experiment but ended up abandoning it barely 10 games into the season.
Westbrook’s poor shooting and erratic decision-making were too much for LA to overcome.
Darvin Ham is the biggest reason why Dennis Schroder rejoined the Lakers
LeBron James was seemingly the biggest reason Dennis Schroder was raring to return to Hollywood. Schroder made it evident on social media that he wanted to reunite with the former MVP in LA.
However, Schroder named Ham his most significant reason for returning to LA:
“That was the main reason, to be honest, I’ve been with him (since) 2013 when I got drafted in Atlanta, and he’s been nothing but great to me," Schroder said.
"Learning from him over the years, staying in touch, he had camps in Germany where I came through to support him, so I call him family, and he knows that. So, whatever it takes to win a ballgame, I’ll do it.”
Darvin Ham and Dennis Schroder have had a long NBA history. The Atlanta Hawks drafted the point guard in 2013. That year was Ham’s first season in Atlanta as an assistant to Mike Budenholzer. They would stay there until 2018, when Budenholzer went to the Milwaukee Bucks. Schroder ended up in Oklahoma as Russell Westbrook’s backup.
Jeanie Buss called the Anthony Davis trade a “moment of truth” for the franchise
The LA Lakers were in disarray after the last few years of Kobe Bryant’s career. It was only during LeBron James’ arrival in the summer of 2018 that things started to pick up for the NBA’s most storied franchise.
Despite James being on the roster, the team felt they were still not elite contenders. As they’re often wont to do, the LA Lakers executed a league-altering change by bringing in Anthony Davis.
In Hulu's “Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers,” team owner Jeanie Buss opened up on her decision to get AD:
"It was a moment of truth. In order to get a great talent like Anthony Davis, you have to give up great talent, and ultimately, it was my decision to push the button."
The New Orleans Pelicans traded Anthony Davis for Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and several unprotected first-round picks. LA’s blockbuster move immediately paid off as they won the 2020 championship.
However, Davis has rarely been available with the LA Lakers in his last two years. LA’s success seems to be predicated on AD's health. If he continues playing around 40 or even 50 games, the Lakers could go home early again.
