While trade rumors swirl around Russell Westbrook, Darvin Ham is preparing for him to be on the Lakers roster come opening night.
With LA's summer squad taking the floor at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, the newly-minted Lakers head coach joined NBA TV's broadcast of the game, where he made sure to express his excitement to coach the former MVP. Ham, who plans to employ a four-out, one-in offense in LA, envisions Westbrook thriving during the 2022-23 season.
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"Russ, in my opinion, man — he's in great shape, he's durable, and in this system — this four-out, one-in system — he's gonna have a chance to screen and roll and make plays in the half roll," Ham said on NBA TV.
He continued, adding that "(Westbrook is) gonna have a chance to run on the break, slash, get layups. He's gonna have a chance to sprint out to the corner, flatten the defense, get corner 3s, as well as the things that he already does well."
If there was any uncertainty, Ham added a final thought to make it crystal clear: "I'm excited as hell to have Russell Westbrook on our team."
Darvin Ham speaks on Russ and AD's role on the Lakers pic.twitter.com/u9LkvBO619
— NBA TV (@NBATV) July 11, 2022
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Ham's excitement to coach Westbrook this upcoming season is the ultimate vote of confidence after Westbrook largely struggled throughout the 2021-22 campaign. Though he appeared in a team-high 78 games, Westbrook's scoring average (18.5) was its lowest since his second season in the league and he was benched on multiple occasions, causing a rift between Westbrook and former head coach Frank Vogel.
Russell Westbrook discusses his relationship with Frank Vogel. pic.twitter.com/pfVfUVY5GO
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) April 11, 2022
That Ham continues to publicly express his support for Westbrook is a good sign for their relationship and the overall dynamic in Los Angeles.
Westbrook was one of a few Lakers to appear at Ham's introductory press conference, where the coach said "Russell is one of the best players our league has ever seen, and there's still a ton left in that tank," adding that the two have already had a number of conversations about how things will go in the upcoming season.
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This all, of course, is amid trade rumors that suggest the Lakers are willing to do whatever it takes to part ways with Westbrook and his $47.1 million expiring contract in order to return to title contention. While a lack of health was the main culprit, a shaky fit between Westbrook, LeBron James and Anthony Davis led to a disappointing 33-49 finish for the Lakers, who failed to qualify for the West's Play-In Tournament.
Ham's continued advocacy for Westbrook could mean that the guard's immediate future remains as a Laker, even if the relationship won't last beyond the 2022-23 season. Conversely, the right trade offer could come along, ending the pairing between Ham and Russell before it even begins.
For now, the excitement remains.
