Russell Westbrook and the Los Angeles Lakers have had an interesting relationship. When he came to the Lakers last season, there was this sense that he would make them guaranteed title contenders. That obviously turned out to be false as he was simply mediocre, all season long. This has led to plenty of trade talks involving Westbrook, and at this point, no one knows if the Lakers will keep him for an entire season.
The Lakers have brought in players like Patrick Beverley and Dennis Schroder, who all play the same position as Russ. With that in mind, there has been this sense that Russ could be coming off of the bench at times. Considering Russ' standing as a former MVP, this would be a huge fall from grace.
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According to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, Russ does not need to worry about his standing as a starter, at least not yet. Based on what the reporter has heard, Russ will be a starter and that the team is excited to have him back.
"From what I understand now, they still see Russell Westbrook as a starter," Shelburne said. "He's a former MVP. He's given that respect."
The Lakers will be looking to have a hot start out of the gate. If they don't, then their patience for Russ could run out quite fast.
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