Against the Kings, Westbrook's shooting performance (2-of-14) was already very bad. After the game, he was once again the target of criticism from fans. Despite Westbrook's past and talent, there are some serious flaws in his game that are undermining the Lakers' offense.
The worst aspect of Westbrook's performance in the game is his shooting ability. While Westbrook has never been a particularly good outside shooter, he is at the trough of his career this season, shooting just 29 percent from three-point range.
In fact, he hasn't shot a single three-pointer in the past few weeks. After shooting two three-pointers against the Grizzlies on Dec. 30, Westbrook went nowhere in three-pointers in the next six games, shooting 0-of-15!
At this point, Lakers fans have clearly had enough. Calls on social media for the Lakers to trade Westbrook are getting louder and louder, and many Lakers fans are also supporting putting him on the bench. Interestingly, even the Lakers themselves have reconsidered the introduction of Westbrook. According to earlier reports, the Lakers have explored the idea of trading Westbrook.
Unfortunately for the Lakers, trading Westbrook in the middle of the season is an impossible task. In addition to his poor performances devaluing himself, he will be paid as much as $85 million over the next two seasons.
So unless the Lakers can come up with creative solutions, they'll be stuck in the status quo. Whether the Lakers can turn the crisis into safety depends on the integration of Wei Shao and the whole team. At present, after half a season, Wei Shao has not fully integrated into the Lakers.