Lakers News: LA Should Ask Russell Westbrook to Sit Out Next Season Says Expert

ESPN's Tim Bontemps believes that the Lakers might be better off asking Russell Westbrook to sit out the coming season while they try to make a trade.

All offseason, new Lakers head coach Darvin Ham has gone out of his way to publicly decry Russell Westbrook detractors. In his introductory press conference, Ham went as far as to call Westbrook "one of the best players our league has ever seen". The coach has stated time and time again how he has a "full-hearted plan" to get the most out of Russ next season. That plan appears to be based in motivating Westbrook to play top-tier defense and thrive off the ball.

Russ has had a fantastic NBA career and is a surefire Hall-of-Famer, but his career arc isn't defined by defense nor playing off the ball. He struggled to be efficient while on the court with LeBron James and Anthony Davis last year. Granted, it was a 21 game sample size, but it's hard to believe that one of the most stubborn players in the league is sacrifice his game for the betterment of the team for his age 34 season.

For those reasons, and the fact that the Lakers aren't currently willing to expend the draft capital required to trade him away, ESPN Brian Windhorst believes the best course of action might be asking Westbrook to sit out the season until a trade can be made.

Windhorst discussed the prospect of giving Westbrook the Houston-Jon-Wall-treatment in a recent episode of the Hoop Collective.

"They're better off with him at home if he's not going to try to play the role that Darvin Ham is saying what's available to him."

Fellow NBA insider Tim McMahon rephrased the question:

"Are they better off asking Russ to chill, or asking him to be Bruce Brown?"

Brown played alongside Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and for a brief moment, James Harden, on the Nets. He was asked to play off-ball, efficiently shot threes (40.4%), and be a willing defender. He embraced his role and had the best season of his pro career.

Tim Bontemps isn't sold on Russ accepting a lesser role and doubled down on the idea of the Lakers sitting Westbrook until they can find a suitable deal.

"I think you can argue he's better off at home because he's not going to be Bruce Brown."

Westbrook isn't likely to accept not showing up to training camp or sitting out the first part of the year, but it's an intriguing concept the Lakers might pursue.