LeBron James is to blame for the L.A. Lakers mess

It’s straightforward to only wish to blame Russell Westbrook.

In spite of everything, his addition to the Los Angeles Lakers this season has been an outright catastrophe.

It’s truthful to say that Westbrook can’t shoot. And because the begin of the brand new yr, it’s additionally truthful so as to add to his scouting report that at the moment he couldn’t hit the broad facet of a barn.

It actually comes as no shock that Westbrook doesn’t slot in L.A.

And fairly truthfully, most NBA analysts and sports activities radio discuss present hosts predicted it as a primary guess, not a second guess.

Essentially the most blame, nevertheless, belongs to LeBron James. He’s the Dr. Frankenstein. He created this dysfunctional monster known as the Lakers this season.

Regardless of sporting shorts and dribbling a basketball, James is the de facto basic supervisor of the Lakers. Make no mistake about it. Rob Pelinka can be known as Pinocchio for those who might see the strings that LeBron is pulling.

This Dream Crew is what LeBron wished. He recruited Westbrook. Keep in mind the video posted on social media with James and Anthony Davis in a pow-wow for the ages, convincing Westbrook it might work.

James wished his personal Massive 3, identical to the Brooklyn Nets with Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving. James figured if he wished a shot at one other NBA title, he needed to be on-par with that three-headed monster.

However the way in which the Lakers are at the moment put collectively, they don’t have any shot at profitable a championship.

Fact be instructed, there was a greater match on the desk for the Lakers six months in the past. They may have traded for Sacramento Kings guard Buddy Hield. He was the right match. He can shoot from the perimeter and doesn’t want the ball in his palms like Westbrook does. That wouldn’t have clashed with LeBron. Hield would have been simply what the physician ordered.

The Kings talked to the Lakers about dealing Hield for Kyle Kuzma and Montrezl Harrell. As a substitute of pulling the set off on that, the Lakers opted to bundle these two gamers, plus Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and future draft picks, to the Washington Wizards in alternate for Westbrook.

There may very well be just one cause Hield didn’t wind up with the Lakers. He wasn’t a sufficiently big title, wasn’t star-studded sufficient to play in L.A.

In spite of everything, L.A. is a star-driven spot for its groups — Mookie Betts got here to the Dodgers, Odell Beckham Jr. joined the Rams and A.D. was an enormous splash when he joined the Lakers. And naturally there’s LeBron.

However Westbrook coming to play for his hometown workforce has been an enormous flop.

At principally the midway level within the season, the Lakers (21-21) are only a mediocre bunch within the Western Convention. Coming into Friday, they had been the seventh-seeded workforce within the convention.

Granted, Anthony Davis has been damage large time. The workforce can be higher if he had been enjoying.

Nonetheless, you’ll anticipate a workforce with James, Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony to be significantly better than they’ve been. They beat the also-rans — typically — however not any good groups more often than not. That’s not a superb look.

The Lakers are actually a prepare wreck. And it’s onerous to observe Westbrook’s play and never look away.

Within the final 4 video games, Westbrook’s taking pictures has gone off the rails, now a woeful 25.4 % from the sphere (15-for-59). In Wednesday’s clunker, a loss to the Kings, Westbrook shot 2-for-14 from the sphere, together with 0-for-5 from three-point land.

Westbrook was a nasty thought from soar avenue .

An nameless NBA exec mentioned this about Westbrook, “He’s by no means been a talented participant, simply bought by with freakish athleticism …however as you grow old and also you’re not as freakish as you was, you then should rely on ability, and proper now that’s being uncovered.”

Spot on. Plus, Westbrook hasn’t actually match wherever.

It didn’t work in OKC with Durant and Harden. It didn’t work with Harden in Houston. And it didn’t work in D.C. with Bradley Beal.

Now on an enormous stage, all of NBA America is seeing it.

For certain, it’s onerous in charge LeBron for the bricks that Westbrook is at the moment taking pictures.

However don’t get it twisted. LeBron is in charge for pondering he might make Westbrook work in L.A.

It wasn’t taking place again in July on paper when the commerce was made and it ain’t taking place now, half a season later.

Lakers followers can thank LeBron for that.