NBA Rumors

As the Brooklyn Nets continue to navigate their way through the fallout of the Kyrie Irving situation, they are also in the process of searching for a new head coach.

Per ESPN's Ramona Shelburne and Adrian Wojnarowski, the Nets are "working through the final stages of vetting" Ime Udoka for the job.

The Nets announced on Tuesday a parting of ways with Steve Nash seven games into the season.

Following the announcement, Wojnarowski reported Udoka was "likely" going to be named Nash's replacement and a decision "could be finalized as soon as the next 24-to-48 hours."

Wojnarowski added former Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder was among the candidates expected to receive interest from the Nets.

Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer reported Wednesday there has been "no substantial contact" from Brooklyn about Snyder's interest.

Udoka was suspended for the 2022-23 season in September by the Boston Celtics for "multiple violations of team policies" uncovered in an investigation conducted by an outside law firm.

Per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Udoka was disciplined for making "unwanted comments" toward a subordinate female staff member in the Celtics organization and having an intimate relationship with her.

"Some members of the Celtics organization first became aware of the relationship in July, sources said," Charania wrote. "At that time, team leadership was led to believe by both parties that the relationship was consensual. But sources said that the woman recently accused Udoka of making unwanted comments toward her—leading the team to launch a set of internal interviews."

Even though Udoka remains under contract to the Celtics, Wojnarowski noted they wouldn't stop him from taking the Nets job if it is offered.

Jacque Vaughn, who has been on Brooklyn's coaching staff since 2016, has served as acting head coach since Nash's departure.

The Nets are off to a 2-6 start heading into Friday's game against the Washington Wizards at Capitol One Arena.

Kyrie Irving's trade value appears to be at an all-time low.

ESPN's Zach Lowe said on his The Lowe Post podcast on Wednesday (around the 25-minute mark) that Irving is considered "radioactive" around the NBA:

I talked to a lot of people around the league over the weekend, and the sense I get right now is he's radioactive. Even if you drop the price to nothing, the baggage is just too much. And you want to talk about how the Lakers are the most desperate team in the league. All right, the Lakers also play in a gigantic cosmopolitan city. All of the residents are following this story. I just don't know what else they're supposed to do except try to salvage and you're telling me it's unsalvageable.

The combination of Irving's general unreliability throughout his career and his looming free agency already had his trade value far lower than it normally might be for a player of his immense talent. But Irving's decision to share a link to an antisemitic film on social media last week likely further fueled the reluctance of NBA teams to consider pursuing him via a trade.

It didn't help that Irving defended his decision publicly.

"Did I do anything illegal? Did I hurt anybody, did I harm anybody? Am I going out and saying that I hate one specific group of people?" Irving said during a contentious press conference following Saturday's game. "It's on Amazon, a public platform. Whether you want to go watch it or not is up to you. There's things being posted every day. I'm no different than the next human being, so don't treat me any different."

The Nets and team governor Joe Tsai spoke out against Irving's posts, however.

“The Brooklyn Nets strongly condemn and have no tolerance for the promotion of any form of hate speech,” the team said in a statement to CNN. "We believe that in these situations, our first action must be open, honest dialogue. We thank those, including the ADL (Anti-Defamation League), who have been supportive during this time."

This is bigger than basketball

— Joe Tsai (@joetsai1999) October 29, 2022

When Irving is on the court, he's been excellent, averaging 26.9 points, 5.1 assists and 5.1 rebounds this season. He's a seven-time All-Star, won the 2016 NBA championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers and is one of the game's most talented scorers.

But his time in Brooklyn alongside Kevin Durant has not translated to the level of success that was expected, and the Nets have started this season at just 2-6, leading to the decision of the Nets and former head coach Steve Nash to part ways.

The Lakers, mired in a poor start of their own (1-5), were one of the main teams rumored to be in the Irving trade market over the summer. But even with all of the issues the Lakers have, trading for Irving may not be the sort of public relations the team is looking for.

The Brooklyn Nets reportedly aren't considering a blockbuster Kevin Durant trade in the immediate aftermath of head coach Steve Nash's departure from the organization.

Yahoo Sports' Vincent Goodwill reported Tuesday that Nets general manager Sean Marks doesn't "appear to be considering" a Durant trade because he's hopeful Ime Udoka, the favorite to take over as the team's new head coach, can "rescue" the franchise.

KD requested a trade in late June, but no team was able to meet Brooklyn's sky-high asking price, which led Marks to release a statement in August saying the sides had "agreed to move forward with our partnership" heading into the 2022-23 season.

Any hope the Nets could put the past few drama-filled years behind them to emerge as championship contenders had already began to fade during the early stages of the campaign, though. They own a 2-6 record, tied for the NBA's fourth-worst mark.

On Tuesday, the franchise announced it had mutually parted ways with Nash, who compiled a 94-67 record across two-plus seasons in Brooklyn.

"I've gotten to know Steve during his time in Brooklyn, and he is not one to shy away from challenges," team governor Joe Tsai said. "My admiration and respect for him grew over time as he brought hard work and positive attitude to our organization every day, even in periods of exceptional storm surrounding the team."

Nash's exit raised questions about whether the Nets were going to head toward a full-scale reconstruction of not only the coaching staff but also the roster. So far, it doesn't sound like that'll be the case.

The talent is there, led by Durant, Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons, for Brooklyn to make some noise this season, but far too often the focus has been on something other than basketball since KD and Kyrie joined the organization as free agents in June 2019.

"Let's be real, we're pros, we're veterans. We had a tough start," Durant told reporters after Tuesday's loss to the Chicago Bulls. "It was a rocky year last year, rocky summer. We knew that everybody was being evaluated. That's just how it is in the league."

Now the Nets are seemingly about to pin their hopes of a turnaround on Udoka, who was suspended by the Boston Celtics in September for multiple violations of team policies. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported an independent investigation found Udoka "crude language in his dialogue with a female subordinate prior to the start of an improper workplace relationship with the woman."

Udoka remained under contract with the Celtics despite the season-long suspension, meaning the organization had to green-light any interviews with other teams. Wojnarowski reported the C's wouldn't stop him from taking another job, though.

It would represent a Hail Mary attempt to salvage the Nets' push to win a title with their current core, which has fallen well short of expectations so far.

If Brooklyn can't right the ship following a coaching change, the front office may have no choice but to make large-scale changes next offseason.

In what will come as little surprise, the trade market for Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving hasn't improved following the start of the 2022-23 NBA season and Irving's recent posts on social media promoting an antisemitic film.

Newsday's Steve Popper spoke with a "few" team executives from around the league who said they "would not touch" Irving.

Irving's future in Brooklyn was a frequent topic of discussion over the summer. The fact he remained with the Nets reflected how both sides were stuck in a marriage of convenience.

Trading the seven-time All-Star wasn't going to yield an equal return in terms of players coming back, so the team was stuck on that front. Irving, meanwhile, almost assuredly wasn't going to get anything better financially than his $36.5 million player option, so opting out wasn't realistic.

Both sides stood to gain from a continued partnership. A big year from Irving would improve his chances of landing a lucrative multiyear contract next offseason, and it would potentially make the Nets favorites to win the Eastern Conference.

That things have unraveled is nonetheless unsurprising, though, the expediency and manner of the meltdown are stunning.

Irving reposted a video of Infowars' Alex Jones discussing the "New World Order" conspiracy theory to his Instagram account in September. Then this month, he shared a link to a film that utilizes antisemitic themes and tropes.

The veteran point guard addressed the situation following a 125-116 loss to the Indiana Pacers last Saturday. During his press conference, he got into a tense exchange with a reporter and said he was "not going to stand down on anything that I believe in."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56bwE_Lfw_I

The NBA and National Basketball Players Association have both issued statements condemning antisemitism, and while neither specifically cited Irving, it was impossible not to connect the dots.

Likewise, Nets governor Joe Tsai shared his disappointment over Irving's posts about the film. Irving's responded that he "meant no disrespect to anyone's religious beliefs."

It's difficult to picture another team being willing to trade for Irving and deal with the fallout that would ensue.

Suspended Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka has emerged as the "strong front-runner" to fill the Brooklyn Nets head coaching vacancy, according to Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Udoka is "likely" to be the hire and it could be finalized in the next 24-48 hours. Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated added the sides are in "advanced discussions" about a contract for him to take over.

Chris Haynes of NBA on TNT reported the Celtics won't seek compensation from the Nets if they hire Udoka:

The Boston Celtics will not seek compensation from the Brooklyn Nets and will allow Ime Udoka to move on, league sources tell @NBAonTNT.

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) November 1, 2022

General manager Sean Marks later told reporters at a press conference the team has not made any decisions regarding its next head coach.

Wojnarowski originally reported Udoka and former Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder were among the early candidates for the job.

Earlier Tuesday, the Nets announced they mutually parted ways with Steve Nash, who had led the team's coaching staff since September 2020.

Brooklyn named Jacque Vaughn as its acting head coach beginning with Tuesday night's home game against the Chicago Bulls while the coaching search takes place.

In September, Celtics governor Wyc Grousbeck announced Udoka was given a one-year suspension for multiple violations of team policies.

An independent investigation determined those violations included Udoka using "crude language in his dialogue with a female subordinate prior to the start of an improper workplace relationship with the woman," per Woj.

The 45-year-old Oregon native remains under contract with the Celtics, so the team would have to give its permission for him to interview with another organization, but Boston is willing to let him leave to accept another job, according to Woj.

Udoka guided the C's to a 51-31 record and an appearance in the 2022 NBA Finals during his first season as a head coach. He finished fourth in Coach of the Year voting.

He previously spent one season as an assistant with the Nets in 2020-21 under Nash following prior stints on the San Antonio Spurs and Philadelphia 76ers staffs.

Snyder stepped down in June after eight years with the Jazz. It was his first NBA head coaching job after prior opportunities in that role at the college level with Missouri and in the G League with the Austin Toros, the San Antonio Spurs' affiliate.

"It was just time," Snyder told reporters. "I tried to give a voice to that, but it really isn’t any more complicated than that. It was just time. This was something I labored over. I had thought about it for a period of weeks."

He guided Utah to a 372-264 regular-season record with six straight postseason appearances during his tenure.

His 30-year coaching career also includes time as an assistant in the NBA, college and Russia's VTB United League.

The Nets, led by the high-profile trio of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons, are off to a rocky 2-5 start in large part due to their 28th-ranked defense (120.3 points allowed per game).

Udoka and Snyder are both defensive-minded coaches who could help Brooklyn's star-studded roster begin turning things around at that end of the floor.

While the Los Angeles Lakers were celebrating their first victory of the season and the start of the Russell Westbrook campaign for "Sixth Man of the Year," one of their potential trade targets sounded off on the possibility of a deal to L.A.

Indiana Pacers center/forward Myles Turner joined Adrian Wojnarowski on The Woj Pod this past Sunday, and when the NBA insider asked if the Lakers should trade their picks for him, Turner did not hold back.

"We all know picks are so valuable in this league," Turner said. "And someone like myself, I'm heading into the last year of my deal, and you wanna make sure you're getting a return for your assets."

"If I'm the Lakers, I take a very hard look at this with the position that you're in. I know what I can provide for a team. My leadership, my shot blocking, my three-point ability and my ability to make plays out there on the floor. I'd take a very long look at it."

Should the Lakers give up the two picks? Full audio of Pacers center Myles Turner on The Woj Pod: https://t.co/yP00bwvnMZ pic.twitter.com/GZvSg9BLyp

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 31, 2022

Well said by Turner. The NBA may give him a small fine for talking about a trade to another team, but Turner's comments were well articulated.

He correctly identifies what is essential for both franchises. The Pacers need to get value in return for him as an asset unless he and the team intend to extend the relationship beyond 2022-23.

The Lakers also need to be careful in using their draft assets in a trade. With prior obligations to the New Orleans Pelicans, Los Angeles can only outright trade their 2027 and 2029 firsts and, in doing so, will tie up its first-round picks through 2031 because of the Stepien Rule.

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Still Deadlocked?

So, what specifically is new since the start of October when the Lakers and Pacers locked into a staring contest expected to last at least 20 games?

For one, the Lakers lost their first five games. The team's three-point shooting improved to a league-worst 26.6 percent after finally getting a win on Sunday against the Denver Nuggets.

The Pacers were undoubtedly watching from afar, feeling pretty good about their hopes of the Lakers caving on both picks with Turner, Buddy Hield and possibly Daniel Theis going to L.A. for Westbrook.

"The Lakers are an awful shooting team," one executive said about the conundrum. "They aren't doing anything without some shooters who can really move the needle. Can the Pacers offer that? It's certainly better what [the Lakers] have now."

For the Pacers, the team got past a minor setback in which Turner sprained his ankle stepping on a ball boy during warmups on opening night.

But once he was on the court, Turner exploded for 27 points (hitting three of four from three-point range), 10 rebounds and five blocks against the Washington Wizards in his debut last Friday.

Meanwhile, Hield has been rock solid to start the season, averaging 17.1 points while shooting 44.6 percent from deep. The Pacers must feel good about their leverage in a potential deal with Los Angeles.

The Lakers have also made a change, with head coach Darvin Ham relegating Westbrook to the bench. So far, the results seem positive, but the team has a long way to go to prove it's a contender in the West.

"I think the Lakers bought themselves a little time with Westbrook off the bench. They can't shoot, but their defense has been decent, and they've been competitive in losses," the executive said. "They may wait to see if what they've got is for real before doing anything drastic."

From the Lakers' point of view, the team needs to win around 35 games to make the play-in. There's plenty of time to make an intelligent decision that doesn't necessarily hamper the team's future. Don't mistake that the picks are off-limits. L.A. will sacrifice the draft capital if it can make a deal that catapults the franchise into contention.

That's a bigger question, not necessarily based on what the Lakers might get to round out the roster with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but on Davis' health throughout the year.

"I don't like what I've seen from A.D.," the executive said. "That back doesn't look healthy."

Davis is playing through clear discomfort, but if he can't give the Lakers a strong season, is there any path to playoff success? If not, why give up any first-round picks? That has to be part of the team's calculation.

Several executives and agents around the league believe the Lakers will eventually cave, probably for the Pacers deal.

However, new trade partners could surface as other teams plummet throughout the year (either through injury or commitment to the Victor Wembanyama lottery). Other candidates could include the San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz or Charlotte Hornets. That list could grow into December and January as recently signed free agents become trade eligible.

---

Help for A.D.

Beyond Hield's shooting, Turner offers something unique to the Lakers.

"I like the idea of [the Lakers] having someone else to deal with the bigger players in the league, let A.D. play forward. [L.A. doesn't] have enough talent right now to do that currently," a different executive said. "Though A.D. is great against guys like [Nikola] Jokić and [Rudy] Gobert, it's the lesser-known bruiser types he has to face day-to-day that he shouldn't [have to fight against]."

That's where a larger body like Turner—who can take those physical assignments, block shots and, as a bonus, shoot the ball—would help the Lakers.

The other side of that coin is Turner has his durability issues. What will happen if Davis and Turner are hurt and the Lakers are down two future firsts? What did the franchise achieve?

"They created their own issues with the decisions [they've made] over the last few years," the first executive said. "They have to find their way out of it."

Are the Pacers the solution? Not until the Lakers make sure they're not consistently better with Westbrook off the bench. Not until they have a sense of how well Davis can play through back issues. The panic level seemed to rise with the 0-5 start, but the temperature may have cooled for a minute after the win over the Nuggets.

In his conversation with Wojnarowski, Turner certainly sounded like he wanted to be a Laker. It all but sounded like a job interview for the team. But even Turner left it open to uncertainty.

"As far as pulling the trigger, I get paid to shoot, not to make these calls," Turner said. "I couldn't answer that."

As the Pacers get closer to the trade deadline, their risk grows: They could lose Turner without compensation as a free agent next July.

The Lakers may perform well enough to try and sweat out Indiana, but if the team continues to lose at a similar pace, the Pacers may be playing L.A. perfectly.

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Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus.

The Los Angeles Lakers will bring Russell Westbrook off the bench for Friday night's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the team announced.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Westbrook, who's set to return from a hamstring injury that caused him to miss Wednesday's loss to the Denver Nuggets, will be dropped to the reserves in favor of a more traditional two-guard lineup for the "foreseeable future." Though Anthony Davis is not playing Friday, the Lakers practiced with this lineup and will likely start games with it when everyone is healthy:

• G: Patrick Beverley
• G: Lonnie Walker IV
• F: LeBron James
• F: Anthony Davis
• C: Damian Jones

The nine-time All-Star hasn't come off the bench during a regular-season game since his rookie year with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2008-09.

Westbrook came off the bench during the Lakers' preseason finale against the Sacramento Kings on Oct. 14. After that contest, he blamed the role change for a hamstring injury he suffered that limited him to five minutes:

"Absolutely. I've been doing the same thing for 14 years straight. Honestly, I didn't even know what to do pregame. Being honest, I was trying to figure out how to stay warm and loose. For me, obviously the way I play the game, it's fast-paced, quick, stop-and-go. And I just happened to, when I subbed in, I felt something. Thought it was... didn't know what it was, but I wasn't going to risk it in a preseason game. But definitely wasn't something I was used to. Wasn't warm enough. But that's something I just wasn't accustomed to."

Lakers head coach Darvin Ham defended the team's medical staff in response:

Darvin Ham said he talked with Russell Westbrook after he said his bench role “absolutely” contributed to his injury. Ham defended the Lakers and their medical staff pic.twitter.com/EZGn72QH9Z

— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) October 21, 2022

Any hope Westbrook could produce a bounce-back season following a forgettable first year in L.A. has started to fade. He's averaged 10.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists while shooting 28.9 percent from the field, including a 1-of-12 mark on threes (8.3 percent).

While the 2016-17 NBA MVP didn't sound thrilled about coming off the bench in the preseason, it likely represents the Lakers' last chance to get value from him.

Playing a majority of his minutes when James and/or Davis are off the floor, allowing him to play a more ball-dominant style with the second unit, could provide a spark.

Otherwise, the chorus of questions about why the Lakers front office didn't do everything in its power to trade Westbrook over the summer will grow louder.

Any package, including a proposed deal with the Indiana Pacers that included guard Buddy Hield and center Myles Turner for Westbrook and a pair of first-round picks, could have provided the revitalized vibe L.A. sorely needed after missing the playoffs last season.

With the Lakers sitting at 0-4, Ham and Co. are already being forced to shuffle the rotation in a desperate attempt to find chemistry.

The NBA reportedly is seeking to add an "upper salary limit" in its negotiations with the National Basketball Players Association on a new collective bargaining agreement, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Unsurprisingly, the proposal has been met by the "firm resistance of the NBPA, to the point of the union considering it a non-starter in discussions, sources said," per Wojnarowski.

Essentially, the league is proposing a hard cap in an effort to keep payrolls from skyrocketing as teams re-sign their veteran players to lucrative deals and exceed the soft cap. The classic example is the Golden State Warriors, who already have a scheduled $214 million active roster cap for next season with the salaries they have on the books.

Per Woj's report, the hard cap would replace the current luxury tax system, which allows teams to exceed the soft cap but charges them increasing financial penalties as they further exceed the cap.

Technically the NBA currently has a hard cap, but it is only triggered after a very specific set of events:

The league currently has a hard cap but that is triggered only when a player is acquired via a sign-and-trade or a certain exception is used. https://t.co/XBN1h8ipUu

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) October 28, 2022

From the player perspective, however, instituting a hard cap would inevitably decrease their earning potential, disincentivizing or even preventing teams entirely from signing veterans to lucrative deals. It's not a system they'll soon be interested in pursuing.

"There will be a lockout," a source from the player's side of the situation told NBA reporter Marc Stein, "before there's a hard cap."

One reason the players might draw a hard line is that the league is about to be even more flush with cash.

As Stein reported: "A lucrative new television deal, expected to be worth at least double the NBA's current nine-year, $24 billion (with a B) TV pact, should be in place starting with the 2025-26 season. The prospect of expansion later in the decade, after that new television contract is secured, promises to pump billions more into ownership coffers."

The perspective of the league's owners, outside of obviously wanting to keep a greater piece of the revenue pie for themselves, is that smaller-market teams may struggle to keep up with the spending power of more lucrative franchises like the Warriors.

Forbes, yesterday: "The average NBA team is now worth $2.86 billion, 15% more than a year ago, an impressive feat considering the stock market is down more than 15% over the same span."

Today: Owners need a hard cap to save them from themselves. https://t.co/A2vS25Dmg1

— Dan Devine (@YourManDevine) October 28, 2022

https://twitter.com/HowardBeck/status/1586064072100945920

Good luck with the hard cap against the 2nd strongest union in sports.

— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) October 28, 2022

I don't think NBA players will ever agree to a true hard cap, under any circumstances.

More money in the marketplace. Owners like Ballmer/Lacob put pressure on other owners to spend while also limiting the supply of available players, which increases demand for everyone else.

— Sam Quinn (@SamQuinnCBS) October 28, 2022

But the players are going to be hard-pressed to feel too bad for billionaire owners—whether they are in smaller markets or not—who are about to benefit from a massive new television deal. If the owners persist with this proposal, a lockout could indeed be coming.

NBA evaluators had one theory for why Brooklyn Nets star Ben Simmons is so hesitant around the basket.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst said Thursday on NBA Today some scouts "believe the reason that Ben Simmons doesn't go aggressive isn't because he's afraid of missing the shot as much as he's afraid of being fouled."

Simmons is a 59.6 percent free-throw shooter and is 3-of-9 from the charity stripe to open the 2022-23 season.

It's easy to see why somebody outside the team would come to that conclusion.

Simmons' vision and playmaking are two of his stronger attributes on offense. There will inevitably be times he passes the ball off when others would've pulled up or driven to the basket. At this point, we can assume he'll simply never be much of a shooter, too.

Many notable players throughout the history of the NBA were poor free-throw shooters. Most of them either improved over time or worked around it and didn't let it affect how they played.

However, Simmons' passivity to start his Nets tenure isn't encouraging. He's averaging just 8.2 shots per 100 possessions through the first four games, half of his career average (16.3), per Basketball Reference.

Kyrie Irving audibly implored the 6'10" guard to shoot when he got the ball inside the paint in a 110-99 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Kyrie: "Shoot it Ben!" 😬 https://t.co/UyIFUykQsk

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 27, 2022

Irving downplayed the significance of that moment, saying it was "just a clip" and indicative of how he and his teammates "want Ben to be aggressive every single play."

But this illustrates why it might be difficult for Simmons to address whatever the underlying causes for his current slump are.

He's a three-time All-Star who plays on a team with championship aspirations, so nothing he does will fly under the radar and his every move will be thoroughly scrutinized. And the longer he struggles, the more people will talk about it.

That's a recipe for disaster for any player who's battling some sort of mental block.

It's far too early to draw any conclusions about Simmons because missing the entire 2021-22 season meant he might have a difficult adjustment early on. Nonetheless, Windhorst's report shows how he's not getting the benefit of the doubt.

Austin Reaves reportedly could be auditioning for a starting role when the Los Angeles Lakers take on the Denver Nuggets in Wednesday's game.

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported Reaves will start for Russell Westbrook, who will miss the game with a hamstring injury. If the 24-year-old plays well, it may be more of a permanent move.

"This is very much a move that the Lakers could continue depending on how tonight's game goes and depending on how they feel about the rotation," Charania added.

The idea of Westbrook potentially coming off the bench for the Lakers this season is not a new one.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski suggested it is "probably inevitable unless his performance changes," and the future Hall of Famer came off the bench during the team's preseason finale against the Sacramento Kings on Oct. 14.

He happened to suffer a hamstring injury during that game and he blamed not starting for the ailment, telling reporters, "I've been doing the same thing for 14 years straight. Honestly, I didn't even know what to do pregame. Being honest, I was trying to figure out how to stay warm and loose. ... That's something I just wasn't accustomed to."

Westbrook started the Lakers' first three games of the regular season and was downright abysmal.

Los Angeles lost all three contests, and the guard shot 28.9 percent from the field and 8.3 percent from three-point range. The team was outscored by 7.9 points per 100 possessions when he was on the floor, per Basketball Reference.

It is a continuation of the issues that plagued him in 2021-22 as he struggled to adjust to a new role on a new team where he wouldn't be as ball-dominant like he was during his prime. His shooting woes also don't play well alongside LeBron James given the space the King creates with all the defensive attention he draws.

The Lakers didn't even make the play-in tournament last season and could be in for a similar fate if nothing changes after an 0-3 start to the 2022-23 campaign.

Perhaps shifting Westbrook to more of a bench role where he can be more aggressive as a creator and ball-handler as part of the second unit could change that. Or maybe a trade will happen down the line.

For now, Reaves is in line to start after averaging 4.7 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 19 minutes per game to start the season.