On February 9, Beijing time, there was only one day left before the closing date of this season's trade, but the Lakers management still stood still. Despite sitting on a luxurious big three, they have so far achieved a dismal record of only 26 wins and 29 losses, ranking ninth in the West.
The Lakers may face many problems, but most people believe that the biggest problem is still in Westbrook, the former regular season MVP, who has not been able to play at his due level this season. Poor projection, poor organization, defensive crotch... This not only caused him to attract widespread criticism from fans, but even head coach Vogel chose to abandon him at key moments many times.
In the eyes of the outside world, trading Wei Shao before the deadline is the most reliable choice, but due to Wei Shao's age and declining state, it is unlikely that any team will be willing to take over. If the deal doesn't happen in the end and Westbrook is left in the team, how can the team get out of the current predicament?
In response to the problems that the Lakers and Westbrook are currently facing, legendary guard Wade gave his own opinion when he was visiting the TNT studio recently: "Let's look at the current Lakers team, everyone is discussing what changes they should make. Listen, they have Wisbrook, he still has a lot to offer this team, and when you're used to shooting as you please, it's going to be tough for you to make rational choices. When you have James around you, you have Davis, Westbrook needs to make rational choices, you need to sacrifice the ball, and then do what you're good at, like rebounding and passing. I know there will be a lot of mistakes, but that's inevitable in this situation; you're a big point guard who can do back-to-back singles, and very few people can defend you in the transition. So you can restrain a little bit when you're on the floor with some people at the same time, but you can be yourself if James and Davis aren't there. ”
In a way, Wade's suggestion is very pertinent, and he proposes a solution to the current problem for the Lakers from another perspective - putting Wei Shao on the bench.
Needless to say, Wei Shao still has the strength to start, but when he is on the court with James and Davis, Wei Shao often needs to adapt to the no-ball playing style, needs to be a shooter who catches the ball, it is difficult for him to be himself at will, but if Wei Shao leads the substitute lineup, he will return to the familiar way of playing, attack with the ball at will, he can use his impact to continuously impact the basket, and can choose between the end and the pass at will.