Has there ever been a player who destroyed a contender the way current Westbrook did?

[imdaman99]

Yep, Rockets were defending champs when Westbrook joined them, Wiz were defending champs when he was traded there, Lakers had just come off a 3peat and he came over to injure the Lakers and turn them into non competes and now he joins the clippers and they start losing to teams like the nuggets and kings, teams that suck. Clips were championship favorites and now they haven't won a game in months.

The only conclusion I can come up with is that Lebron has only played with trash his entire career.

[RRR3]

At a glance 9 of the top 12 players in total minutes on the 2021 Lakers weren’t on the 2022 Lakers but whatever. “Notable”.

Keep up what I’m sure you think is the good fight. You’re obviously very invested in your repetitive daily posts about the same people tangentially related to Lebron discussion and I only have so much of it in me at any given moment. I’ll be back when the Bucks and warriors play later but hopefully it will keep my attention instead of your crusade to downplay the impact of stars never playing or developing chemistry with all new teammates.

I’m bringing facts to this discussion and you’re bringing opinions, but keep acting smug if you want.

[RRR3]

Yep, Rockets were defending champs when Westbrook joined them, Wiz were defending champs when he was traded there, Lakers had just come off a 3peat and he came over to injure the Lakers and turn them into non competes and now he joins the clippers and they start losing to teams like the nuggets and kings, teams that suck. Clips were championship favorites and now they haven't won a game in months.

The only conclusion I can come up with is that Lebron has only played with trash his entire career.

None of this was said. Idk why you can’t admit the truth about your guy when it’s so glaringly obvious. I defended Westbrook a lot when he was in his prime but he’s old and washed up now. It’s not a reflection of his career I said over and over again I’m referring to his current play.

[imdaman99]

None of this was said. Idk why you can’t admit the truth about your guy when it’s so glaringly obvious. I defended Westbrook a lot when he was in his prime but he’s old and washed up now. It’s not a reflection of his career I said over and over again I’m referring to his current play.

First of all, stop acting like you give a shit about the clippers sucking when you only use it for your agenda. Yall used to troll the Clippers and that hbk dude all the time. Westbrook sucked with the lakers no doubt, but they weren't winning with him or without him last year. This year he has managed to get talent back to the team in a much needed way, which makes them contenders again. Stop acting like without those guys and simply dropping westbrook would have made them contenders again. And they did lose Pat Bev as well, which was also an improvement to their offense.

He didn't destroy a contender. He simply put them in limbo which might be worse. He had an albatross of a contract which is HOW HE WAS ABLE TO GET DECENT PLAYERS BACK TO THE TEAM. Guess what, if he was making $2 million like you seem to think he deserves, they would not get any talent back for him. Just be happy Lebron can root for his team winning again without the eggshells that it was with Westbrook. This crusade lebron stans have for all his ex-teammates is embarrassing.

[RRR3]

It’s not just an agenda when it’s strongly supported by statistical evidence. To use an example you will like more, it would be like saying someone stating LeBron is a below average free throw shooter means they have an agenda.

[Kblaze8855]

I’m bringing facts to this discussion and you’re bringing opinions, but keep acting smug if you want.

I’m acting the way I always act when I read a bad argument. Somewhere between smug and incredulous. You tell me one player is the difference between two teams that are literally 80% different players then talk to me about “facts” like you’re some reasonable observer making indisputable points. You are what everyone else is on subjects they simply won’t stop talking about. Emotionally compromised.

You say the same shit dozens and dozens of times in topics like you’re gonna make someone see the light of your brilliant observations and…it isn’t happening. If you believe it…fine. I don’t care what you think he is. But you seem to really really care that others see it your way. I rarely enter a topic even loosely laker related because I know who is gonna be there and why but generally when I click one eventually you arrive with a “fresh” Russ take. I feel like I’ve seen you say “I used to really like….” about him 68 times which is amazing when…as I mentioned…I don’t generally enter topics on these subjects.

Im either stumbling over you on one of these missions at a crazy rate or…you just do it a lot. And like I said that’s ok. It just isn’t effective. I’m watching Russ play right now. He just missed a fast break layup and turned it over earlier on a weird post up. Got a layup goaltended. Created some open looks. He just fouled Randle on an unnecessary reach in during a late shot clock post up. Dumb foul. Some good drives. It’s…him.

Im not getting new information from you. Anyone here who cares enough already thinks what they think and don’t much factor in your “facts”. I don’t know what you think happens when you keep posting them. As much as you interacted with 3ball you should know that all that comes of obsessively pointing out the same thing is people stop listening.

Mix it up and maybe get new reactions. I don’t know who you expect to come around after this long.

At some point you’re just Frank Grimes losing his mind over people not hating Homer

[BarberSchool]

I fully agree that Westbrick is a terrible, selfish, no conscience having, turnover and bad shot machine.

But let’s not act like he single-handedly ruined the post-bubble-ring Lakers. He had plenty of help from day-to-Davis constantly being out, and LeBron not playing defense until the last few minutes, and also being out for long stretches.

Would have been much more entertaining if LeBron & AD did their part, and got them into the second round, only to have Westbrick shoot them out of a few key games, and average 37%FG & 6+TO/game for the post-season.

[AlternativeAcc.]

Westbrook and his 50 million dollar contract absolutely ruined the Lakers. Anyone arguing otherwise is a massive moron.

[BarberSchool]

^LeFraud probably spent many hours daydreaming in practice and during games, on what free agents Lake show could have signed with that 44-50mil annual salary for this low IQ low efficiency, selfish turnover machine. Regretting every second of Westbrick’s stay there.

Davis makes a metric ton salary too, but difference is, AD only hurts by frequent omission.

Russel hurts by both omission (eating up cap space without consistently contributing anything to winning), but Westbrick also hurts the squad, by inclusion/addition, since a lot of his “contributions” are extractive from team success, and really only serve to his own self-aggrandizing, highlight-seeking, stat-padding, high risk low reward actions, horrifically team-chemistry-sabotaging-timing, and “middle school superstar out for glory” braindead decisions.

[SATAN]

Gonna be interesting seeing what his contract looks like next season.

[kawhileonard2]

The Lakers were the champs in 2020, first seed in 2021 before injuries messed them up and even then very likely at minimum make the finals if AD doesn't go down in the playoffs. Then Westbrook arrives and they can't even make the play-in (LeBron and AD missed a ton of games it's true, but even when healthy the team didn't play well). More of the same this year until Westbrook is traded and the Lakers suddenly look like a great team again, and even after LeBron gets injured yet again they continue to play well without him (a huge contrast to how they played without him pre-trade). Meanwhile, Westbrook has joined the Clippers who were on a hot streak before he arrived, and they are 2-5 since they acquired him. Westbrook was a great player in his prime, but his refusal to admit he no longer is seemingly makes him the most cancerous player in NBA history. It's truly incredible one man can destroy a good team like this.

No the Clippers are thriving with Westbrook. Lebron couldn't make the playoffs with him.

[John8204]

Gonna be interesting seeing what his contract looks like next season.

I think it's 50/50 he ends up overseas.

[Manny98]

Clippers 4-0 since OP made this thread

[ImKobe]

Clippers 4-0 since OP made this thread

Been a positive on the court in 6 out of 9 games for the Clippers. +4.5 Net Rating with him on the court & -0.3 without him on the season. Let Russ Cook!

[Manny98]

Another big win, BeastBrook playing his best basketball in years

Another L for OP