Los Angeles Lakers GM Comments On LeBron James-Russell Westbrook Team Up

When the Los Angeles Lakers traded away half their roster for Russell Westbrook, many thought it was a massive reach for an All-Star that they think will not work well with them.

Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka spoke with the media about what the season has in store for them.

Reporters asked Pelinka how the LeBron James-Westbrook tandem will workout, and the 51-year-old executive believes it will go smoothly.

“There’s a palpable feeling, there’s a palpable taste in your mouth that when this group of guys is in the gym, or around each other, there’s a respect for, ‘Hey, we have a chance to do something special this year, and we all have to make sacrifices to get there,’” he said.

“And I think this group shares that common belief in the assumption that sacrifices will have to be made, but there’s something greater than we can accomplish.”

Pelinka also confirmed that James will be slimming down to lessen his weight and allow him to retain some of that athleticism that made him so great in the first place while putting less pressure on his legs.

James dealt with a high-ankle sprain in the second half of last season, and it seemed like he never fully recovered as the Lakers fell to the eventual Western Conference Champions Phoenix Suns in six games.

Westbrook has been hampered by the lack of a reliable shooting stroke by many observers and analysts over the years as they recognize that there will come a time when his athleticism will fail him.

Coming into the season, Westbrook is shooting the ball at 30.5% from deep across a 13-year career.

To Westbrook’s credit, he has been working on his new shooting form this offseason, and Lakers fans should be excited to see a more consistent stroke from him.

Carmelo Anthony will also be joining the star-studded lineup of the Lakers this season as they gun for a championship.

“I think there are some players, when you play with people like LeBron or Russell, when that ball is kicked to you, maybe it’s a little heavier,” Pelinka said.

“But Melo, I don’t think he’s paying attention to who’s throwing him the ball. He’s just getting it, and he’s just locked into trying to convert.”

Teams are expected to report to their training camps starting next week, and the Lakers will have their first preseason game against the Brooklyn Nets on October 3.