Lakers News: Expert Predicts Russell Westbrook Won’t Win Sixth Man of the Year Award

All within the same season, Russell Westbrook went from being called one of the most washed players to now a top candidate for the Sixth Man of the Year Award.

After Coach Darvin Ham adjusted the starting lineup in the beginning of the season, Westbrook found himself thriving off the bench following an initial rocky start.

Now, the former MVP is putting up solid stats, averaging 14.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 7.7 assists. Despite the fact that the Lakers are sitting at No. 12 in the Western Conference, Westbrook has added value in his role and transitioned into becoming a reliable rotational player.

Although his performance has helped him become a favored candidate, Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale offered his critiques on Westbrook as a front-runner for Sixth Man of the Year:

“Purple and gold ubiquity is fueling Westbrook's "front-runner" status more than anything else. He doesn't even check the volume-scoring box for crying out loud. The past six winners of this award have cleared 16 points per game, and only two have averaged under 15 since 2006-07.

This isn't just an issue of potential alternatives. It's a matter of better options, period.

Maybe Westbrook cracks the top three of the ballot by virtue of exposure and his assist totals. I'll be shocked—shocked—if he actually wins."

Other candidates that have been considered and may be more worthy are players including Jordan Poole, Bennedict Mathurin, and Malcolm Brogdon.

Even with Westbrook’s explosiveness and grit, it is going to take a lot in the second half of the season to help the Purple and Gold finish above. 500 and land in the playoff picture. No player has won the Sixth Man Award on a losing team since Detlef Schrempf won with the 40-42 Indiana Pacers back in 1991-92.

Westbrook could very well be another player to do so. With his impressive stats this season, it may be enough for Westbrook to remain the favorite and add a 6MOTY award to his resume.