Clippers HC DISSES Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, claims team had no leader before Russell Westbrook’s arrival
The head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers throws shade at PG and Kawhi, stating that they were lacking a leader until Russell Westbrook arrived.
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L- Russell Westbrook and Tyronn Lue (CNN Sports), R- Paul George and Kawhi Leonard (Getty)
After getting traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, Russell Westbrook experienced a resurgence in his performance following a disappointing stint with the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite struggling to play alongside another ball-dominant player, LeBron James, Westbrook remained dedicated to mentoring the young players, even as his own performance suffered.
The Lakers traded Westbrook to the Utah Jazz, who subsequently bought out his contract, making him an unrestricted free agent. The Clippers then signed Westbrook to a rest-of-the-season deal, during which he proved that although he may be past his prime MVP years, he can still compete at the highest level and lead his team to victory. Notably, he stepped up in the absence of the Clippers’ star duo, Paul George and Kawhi Leonard.
Westbrook’s return to the Clippers came with a two-year $7.8 million deal after an impressive season. Many fans were surprised by this decision, considering he had previously been signed to a $40 million deal. This was the biggest pay cut ever taken by an NBA player.
Gilbert Arenas, a former NBA player, and three-time All-Star, shed light on the matter during his podcast. He revealed that Clippers Head Coach Tyronn Lue stated they gave Westbrook everything they could. Westbrook chose to stay with the team, and the Clippers valued him as a leader who could drive them forward.
“We gave him everything we had! He didn’t wanna go nowhere and we’re glad he didn’t because we’ve never had a leader and he is our leader. Think about the perception of Westbrook and Tyronn Lue said, ‘We finally had a leader on our team to push us forward,” Arenas said.
Gilbert Arenas slams how the Lakers treated Russell Westbrook
In a recent podcast episode, Gilbert Arenas criticized the Lakers and their fans for mistreating Russell Westbrook during his time with the team. Arenas pointed out that while LeBron James and Anthony Davis played only a minority of games, Westbrook consistently showed up and played as much as possible.
With LeBron and AD sidelined Westbrook became the team’s primary option, facing immense pressure to carry them to the playoffs. Despite his efforts, he faced relentless criticism when he couldn’t meet those high expectations.
“The hatred that the Lakers gave [Westbrook] was unwarranted, because he’s the only one that was actually playing,” Arenas said. “If we started the season off and said, alright LeBron is only gonna play 30-something games, AD is gonna play about 30-something games, we would’ve sat there and said they’re gonna be sh-t… But the fact that they’re not winning and [Westbrook] is the person that ya’ll – who else ya’ll gonna put the f-ck in?”
Now, Westbrook has the opportunity to prove himself with the Clippers, often referred to as the “little bros” of LA. He aims to redeem the reputation he lost while playing for the Lakers. During the playoffs, when Paul George and Kawhi Leonard were out, Westbrook displayed his scoring prowess against the Phoenix Suns. He looks to build on that momentum and return to the level he reached during his MVP years.
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Ritvik Malhotra
(1085 Articles Published)