Grading Russell Westbrook, Lakers' Top Stars to Open 2022-23 NBA Season

The 2022-23 NBA season was supposed to be one of redemption for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Instead, they're careening toward rock bottom and sinking lower than they've been at any point of the LeBron James era.

Entering Wednesday, they're a woeful 2-8 with the Association's third-worst net rating (minus-7.2, per NBA.com). The supporting cast is deeply flawed, the offense is abysmal and the lack of shooting is confounding.

What about the stars, though? Well, given their significance to the squad, let's answer that inquiry with a deeper dive into the Purple and Gold's top trio.

Davis is a tricky evaluation.

On the one hand, it's hard to knock (most of) his numbers. He's pumping in 23.2 points per game on 53.8 percent shooting, while corralling 10.3 rebounds, dishing 2.4 assists and tallying 2.0 rejections a night.

Then again, his jumper is a disaster (28.6 percent from three), and this defense plays its best without him (12 points worse per 100 possessions when he's on the floor, per NBA.com). Not to mention he forever feels like an injury waiting to happen. He's only missed one outing so far, but it's an all-too-common sight to see him grimacing in pain or moving gingerly.

Ideally, this should be when he's taking the baton from James, but Davis isn't consistently dominant enough to make that switch. The fact there are trade winds swirling around him shows that the Lakers need more from him.

Grade: C-

For the first time in...well, forever, James might finally be showing his age. That or all the wear and tear from carrying this club on his shoulders is catching up to the 37-year-old.

He's still supremely talented—one of three players averaging 24 points, eight rebounds and seven assists—but the best-player-on-the-planet debates no longer include him in the discussion. Not when his 44.7 field-goal percentage is the lowest since his rookie season. Not when he's shooting a career-worst 21 percent from three.

He just doesn't have the same zip to speed around defenders. He's shooting just 44.4 percent on drives, per NBA.com; last season, he converted 55.6 percent of those chances. His 4.9 free-throw attempts per game are the fewest of his career.

Now, this can't be all held against him. If he played in a properly spaced offense, perhaps he'd have wide enough attack lanes to still get to the rim and finish with force. Still, the stats are what they are, and James' are uncharacteristically rough (by his standards).

Grade: B-

Westbrook is an easy scapegoat for the Lakers' struggles, since he often looks more out of place than a fish out of water.

His erratic shooting and questionable decision-making can wreak havoc on what's already not a good half-court attack. His ball dominance has always made him a bad fit with James, and it's not like Westbrook is locking down the defensive end.

Still, the polarizing point guard deserves at least some credit for trying to make the best of a tough situation. He has looked better in a bench role—not something all former MVPs would embrace—and his plus-8.1 net rating is actually tops on the team among rotation regulars.

He still needs to be traded, as L.A. never should have acquired him in the first place. Given how low the bar was set entering this season, though, it's hard to think he isn't at least living up to expectations.

Grade: C+