Russell Westbrook's first season with the Lakers didn't go as well as any had hoped. He had a tough time clicking with other players on Los Angeles' roster and never got into a groove.
Neither did the Lakers as a team. They missed the playoffs despite having LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Westbrook and a cast of veterans, which led to some serious questions about the team's future.
Some wondered whether Westbrook would be a part of it. He was always going to be a clunky fit next to James, as both are built as primary ball handlers and are not great floor spacers. Last season, he was benched in crucial situations, shopped at the trade deadline and remained a major question mark as to his future with the franchise with free agency looming.
But, as the saying goes-- Money talks.
MORE: Who is to blame for the Russell Westbrook trade?
Westbrook has a $47.1 million player option for the 2022-23 season, so before the Lakers could consider moving on from him, that decision needed to be made. He is set to opt into his player option on Tuesday, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Now, Westbrook is set to play the final year of his max contract extension with Los Angeles. He'll have another chance to prove his worth with a new head coach, Darwin Ham, at the helm.
Despite his troubles with the Lakers last season, Westbrook seemed to be in a good mood on Tuesday morning.
Wouldn't you if you just guaranteed yourself $47 million?
Shortly before news of his option pickup broke, the 33-year-old point guard released a video of him singing and dancing along to Beyoncé's "Break My Soul" on social media.
Russell Westbrook is in a good mood today 😅
— 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬 (@sportingnews) June 28, 2022
📹 @russwest44 pic.twitter.com/YxmPPvfchW
It is notable that Westbrook chose this specific Beyoncé song.
Why?
It's because of the lyric that he is repeating throughout most of the video.
MORE: Russell Westbrook feuds with Skip Bayless after host's "Westbrick" comment
Westbrook chose to showcase the part of the song that repeatedly uses the lyric "you won't break my soul."
Could that be a message to the Lakers?
Maybe, especially considering that there have been rumors abound about his teammates, like James, wanting to part with him.
More likely though is that Westbrook's message is aimed at his critics. That could include members of the Lakers organization but is not limited to them. After all, it's no secret that Westbrook received a great deal of criticism for his performance during his first year in Los Angeles.
He fought off the "Westbrick" moniker all season long, from fans to national TV pundits like Skip Bayless.
His fit and lacking role were analyzed all year long; at one point, Laker legend Magic Johnson even said that the Westbrook trade may end up being the worst in team history.
Clearly, Westbrook isn't letting all of that negativity get to him. He is staying positive going into his second season with the Lakers. Now, he and LeBron just have to figure out how they can play together.
And if they can't, the Lakers will reach a crossroads with 33-year-old point guard.
