JJ Redick Slams Lakers Acquisition Of Russell Westbrook
Former NBA player-turned ESPN analyst, JJ Redick, was known throughout his career as one of the league’s top three-point shooters. He’s spending his post-playing career dunking all over the Lakers.
During a Tuesday morning appearance on ESPN’s Get Up, Redick slammed LA’s summer of ’21 acquisition of Russell Westbrook – but not because of anything Westbrook did or didn’t do.
Redick’s issue is that Los Angeles should’ve known what they were getting when they dealt for Westbrook.
"They got the player they traded for. This was not a different version of Russ,” Redick said on Get Up. “He’s still a really good basketball player. Let’s be clear on that.”
Throughout his first season in LA, Westbrook — who has a $47 million player option for the 2022-23 campaign — never meshed with the Lakers.
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Playing in 78 games, he averaged 18.5 points per game — slightly more than 7 rebounds and 7 assists per night but shot less than 45%.
"If you look at all of his numbers outside of the counting stats - the points per game, obviously his usage rates are going to go down with LeBron James - he shot the same percentage virtually at every spot on the basketball court as before," Redick said.
Oklahoma City Thunder's Russell Westbrook (0) during a game against Philadelphia 76ers' JJ Redick (17) at Wells Fargo Center on January 19, 2019, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Thunder defeated the Sixers 117-115. (Photo via Getty Images).
Though Westbrook continued to stuff the stat sheet, the Lakers -- viewed as legit title contenders prior to the season — failed to qualify for the playoffs. LA finished the season with the Western Conference's 5th-worst record (33-49).
"I don't think last season was an indictment on Russell Westbrook, the basketball player," Redick added via Get Up. "I think it was an indictment on a terrible fit."
Thanks in large part to the $47 million he'll soon be owed, the Lakers seem destined to continue to tinker with that fit. New head coach Darvin Ham said as much during his introductory press conference when he told media members: "Russ is one of the best players our league has ever seen, and there’s still a ton left in that tank. I don’t know why people tend to try to write him off.
"I’m going to approach him like I do every player I’ve ever encountered," Ham added. "We’re going to talk about our running habits with the ball, without the ball. And again, the rhythm of the team, and trying to establish a rhythm with LeBron, Russ and AD."
If it fails to work (again), don't say JJ didn't warn you.
Follow along on Twitter: @OhioAF