Lakers News: Poor Evaluation On Ex-MVP To Blame For Team Struggles

Try as he might, the patience on Russell Westbrook appears to be wearing thin as he continues to struggle in proving that he is an effective addition to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Given that he is a former Most Valuable Player, expectations were high when he was acquired by the Lakers in the offseason.

Los Angeles needed a third superstar, someone who can score and perform playmaking duties.

On paper, it all seemed perfect although the thought of seeing how Westbrook could have fewer touches beckoned pundits.

Hence, adjustment was deemed the next thing critics wanted to see although it was something applicable to all new faces on the Lakers’ roster.

But in the eyes of Morten Jensen of Forbes, the blame should be on Lakers’ management for the Westbrook deal.

Westbrook has had his moments with the Lakers although his stint this 2021-22 season did not start on the right foot.

His numbers are way off and most felt that the 33-year-old was not a good fit for the Lakers’ system.

Most blame Westbrook for failing to adapt to a new environment where he would be combining with not one but two legitimate superstars.

However, the nine-time All-Star believes that he is doing fine and that most opt to critique his bad games over his good ones.

"The conversation has been heavily on how I'm playing and what I'm doing, but I think people are expecting me to have f---ing 25, 15 and 15,” Westbrook said in a report from the Bleacher Report. "That is not normal. Everybody has to understand that's not a normal thing that people do consistently."

At this point of the NBA season, the Lakers' performance is far from expectations.

The NBA trade deadline is fast approaching and there is no telling if Westbrook will be dealt.

Should that happen, there is also no assurance that the Lakers will get better–especially since top stars like Anthony Davis are sidelined due to injuries.