Lakers: SI Experts Talk Russell Westbrook's Sixth Man Role
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Following the Lakers' second win of the 2022-23 NBA season (and prior to the team's second straight five-game losing streak), The Crossover podcast hosts Howard Beck and Chris Mannix discussed an outstanding early performance from Russell Westbrook in his new bench role.
"Here are his numbers for the game against Denver: 32 minutes he played against the Nuggets, shot 50% from the floor, 50% from three, perfect from the free-throw line. 18 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, just three turnovers in this game," Mannix said. "I'm watching this game, and I'm like, 'This works. This is how it should be.' Russell Westbrook -- and I've got a column about this up on Si.com right now -- is fully capable of spending the next five years in a superior sixth man role. Russell Westbrook should be someone that is in the top five in Sixth Man [of the Year] voting everything single voting because if you're Russell Westbrook this should be kind of a moment for you. You should realize that you can be great at this. You can be elite at this. You're no longer 'Russell Westbrook, MVP,' you're no longer 'Russell Westbrook, guaranteed starter.' But 'Russell Westbrook, sixth man' can do what he did last night... Westbrook comes off the bench, plays exceptionally well, and they get the win."
Mannix was clearly on board with Westbrook's transformation in what was then a new role. Beck seemed more cautiously optimistic about the shift in roles for the nine-time All-Star and 2017 MVP.
"We know that... he's resisted the idea of being anything other than the Westbrook that he's always been, which means a lot of ball control, a lot of dribbling, and... a lot of shots at in opportune moments from places that he can't make them," Mannix said. "So yesterday was not that. Yesterday... he was very good, he was very efficient, he was joyful, the Lakers looked very good... It's a promising start... I think that we just saw the template for how this Lakers team can revive itself."
At the time of the podcast's recording, L.A. was 1-5. Now, the team is 3-10, and looking increasingly like they're going to miss the play-in tournament.
With a few additional weeks to watch Westbrook's output, it is clearly that he at least seems to operate better as an energy-changing reserve than he does as a starter alongside LeBron James, given that both players function best with the ball in their hands. Brodie probably can become a perennial Sixth Man of the Year candidate -- but not on this team, and not for this $47.1 million salary.
According to the Lakers themselves, Westbrook currently leads he league's reserves in assists per night, while ranking second in scoring with 18.3 points. Perhaps Los Angeles can sense that a potential award beckons.
