Lakers: LeBron James & Russell Westbrook Ignore Each Other at Summer League Game
The Lakers played their first game in the Las Vegas Summer League yesterday, but the most newsworthy event had nothing to do with anything that happened on court. In fact, what didn't happen off the court between Russell Westbrook and LeBron James is what really caught the attention of Lakers fans.
Despite both players, and scores of current Lakers players, Rob Pelinka, and new head coach Darvin Ham, being in attendance at the Thomas & Mack Center, LeBron James and Russell Westbrook didn't speak publicly.
The Athletic's Jovan Buha is one of the many reporters that finds the lack of public interaction intriguing.
"Westbrook never walked over, though, leaving just as the halftime buzzer sounded. James stayed through the end of the third quarter. The two never acknowledged each other. Perhaps it means something. Perhaps it means everything. Perhaps it means nothing."
Buha juxtaposed the scene with last summer when Westbrook arrived in Los Angeles.
"But with all eyes in the arena — and on TV and social media — on James and Westbrook, it was interesting, if not telling, that they never publicly interacted. Especially when considering their bromance at summer league less than 12 months ago."
Buha noted that the lack of interaction could be nothing at all, but the timing is curious considering how Westbrook has been repeatedly linked to a potential trade with the Nets for Kyrie Irving.
According to Buha, Lakers head coach Darvin Ham "dismissed" the fact that he hasn't met with Russ, Lebron, and Anthony Davis all together and cited the trio's "busy schedules" as the reason why.
Ham stated that he's connected with each of them individually and the lines of communication between he and the Lakers stars has been strong.
There's plenty of time for Russ and LeBron to chat this summer, but it didn't happen, at least on the court, in Las Vegas last night.
