Written by Sometimes it is not just a good fit and that is okay. Russell Westbrook was recently benched by the coach of the Los Angeles Lakers and all reports point to Mr. Westbrook’s poor play. While it may be frustrating for Westbrook, fellow players, coaches, and the fans that his performance has been far from stellar, everyone must remember that an entire organization and team’s continuous poor performance cannot be blamed on one athlete.
And while it may not be popular opinion, the blame for the Laker’s poor performance this season can only be put on two people: The general manager and head coach. When the team went all in on Westbrook, they were taking a risk. This risk was not only on Westbrook performing at a high level, but that he would fit well into the team and that there would be a good level of cohesion that would translate into wins on the court. Unfortunately, this did not happen, but everyone is quick to blame one person: Westbrook.
The general manager is in charge of finding athletes for the team. The head coach is responsible of coaching the team and ensuring that they are performing at a peak level. A single athlete in a team sport cannot be blamed for a losing record or for losing one game. The head coach is the one responsible.
However, there are times when a coach or athlete is not a good fit for an organization, which is completely understandable. Sometimes an athlete does not respond well to the leadership of a coach or culture of an organization, training methods of a coach, or mental or emotional aspects of a system, program, or organization. And that is okay. It is up to the head coach and general manager to see this and find solutions to fix issues, such as fit. They need to help an athlete settle into the team, solve any problems that would prohibit this, or trade or cut the athlete. Professional athletes understand this and would most likely be amenable to being traded in order to provide a better situation for the athlete and team.
It is obvious that the Russell Westbrook experience with the Los Angeles Lakers is coming to an end as it is not working out. Everyone, including the fans, need to understand that those in the highest positions of authority in the Lakers organization are responsible for the current state of the season and for personnel decisions. One player is not going to dictate the outcome of an entire season. However, the head coach and general manager can change the future of the rest of the season by trading players in order to get the right group together.