The Lakers’ Russell Westbrook Has a Chance to Thrive in His New Role

The star guard has all the tools to be one of the NBA’s top sixth men if he commits to a new role off the bench.

The fans roared.

Russell Westbrook smiled.

The Lakers won.

Two weeks into the season, has Los Angeles found something that works?

Westbrook came off the bench in the Lakers’ 121–110 win over Denver on Sunday. He scored 18 points. He pulled down eight rebounds. He handed out eight assists. He was a team-high plus-18 in 32 minutes. He looked confident leading the second unit. He looked energized by the opportunity to play an expanded offensive role.

“It was big time,” said LeBron James.

“Proud of him,” added Anthony Davis.

It has been an ugly start to the season for the Lakers. The shooting has been terrible. Davis has been gimpy. Westbrook, for the second straight season, has looked like he just doesn’t fit. But for one night, the energy shifted. Against Denver, L.A. shot 43% from three-point range. Davis battled through back pain to collect 23 points and 15 rebounds. And Westbrook, in his second straight game off the bench, played his best game of the season.

Is it sustainable? There’s no reason why it shouldn’t be. Westbrook has all the tools to be one of the NBA’s top sixth men. Freed from the responsibility of having to immediately fit in alongside James and Davis, Westbrook can be, well, Westbrook. He can attack. He can look to score. He can be more of the player he is used to being.

On Sunday, when the game was over, Davis was one of the first to approach Westbrook at his locker.

“I said, ‘The way you’re playing and handling everything, it’s tremendous,’” Davis said. “The way he played in Minnesota, the way he played [Sunday], is unbelievable. To be a player of his caliber and asked to come off the bench, that’s truly a guy who’s doing whatever the team asks to get the win. Sacrificed his starting position for the betterment of the team.”

For the betterment of Westbrook, too. Westbrook is playing for his career this season. That’s not hyperbole. It’s not even a hot take. If he resists the move to the bench, if his attitude is starter-or-bust, chances are he is in for a frosty reception in free agency next summer. If he embraces it, Westbrook can tack years onto his career. Like Jamal Crawford, who spent the first 10 years of his career as a starter and the last 10 as one of the NBA’s best subs. Or Andre Iguodala, who is still active after sliding into a sixth man role eight years ago.

Crawford and Iguodala were good.

Westbrook is better.

This is a vision Darvin Ham had months ago, when he took over the team and made integrating Westbrook a priority. Ham has gone to great lengths to cultivate a rock-solid relationship with Westbrook. “He’s such a down-to-earth person,” Westbrook said. Ham is invested in Westbrook’s success, evidenced by the emotion in his voice after Westbrook’s performance Sunday.

“I told him he’s going to thrive, man, just trust me,” Ham said. “Trust me. I always told him, your sacrifice, a player of your magnitude for you to do this, it’s going to send waves.

“One of the biggest things about me getting this job was for him to get that respect that he deserves, because a lot of what went on last year was not his fault. All of the blame was placed on him. I told him, ‘Just listen to me. Believe in me, bro. I’m going to put you in position to succeed with the group, but you have to put the group first. It can’t be about me or I or mine, it’s got to be us, ours, we.’ And he’s done that.”

A successful move to the bench doesn’t solve all the Lakers problems. The shooting is still an issue. Davis’s early season back pain is terrifying. The Lakers are asking a lot out of a soon-to-be 38-year-old James. And there is still the possibility—probability, perhaps—that at some point over the next few months Westbrook will be dealt.

Chatter about trades to Indiana or Utah isn’t going anywhere.

But for now, it works. On Sunday, Westbrook sounded committed to the role. “Whatever is needed for me to help the team win,” Westbrook said, “that’s what I’ll do.” On Wednesday, the Pelicans will be in Los Angeles. Westbrook will come off the bench. It’s what Ham has decided will give the Lakers the best chance to win. And it’s what Westbrook needs to move his career forward.

“He’s flourished in that role,” Davis said. “That’s all we can ask for.”

He did. And he can.