National Basketball Association

Is Russell Westbrook's injury claim a precursor to Lakers trade?

Updated Jan. 26, 2023 11:06 a.m. ET

Could Russell Westbrook's latest comments be the last straw between him and the Los Angeles Lakers?

Less than a week ago, Westbrook suffered a hamstring injury in the Lakers' final preseason contest against the Sacramento Kings, a game which saw the veteran come off the bench. On Tuesday, the soon-to-be 34-year-old was in new head coach Darvin Ham's starting lineup for the regular-season opener, a 123-109 road loss to the reigning-champion Golden State Warriors.

Afterward, Westbrook contended that coming off the bench and subsequently assuming a new workload in the preseason finale contributed to his hamstring injury.

"Absolutely," Westbrook told 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. 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."

Westbrook, in fact, had not come off the bench since the first month of his rookie season, a span of 1,004 games and 14 years. Back in the starting five Tuesday, he finished with 19 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, one steal and four turnovers and shot 7-of-12 (58.3%) from the field and 1-of-3 (33.3%) from beyond the arc.

On Wednesday's edition of "Undisputed," cohost Skip Bayless expressed confusion about why Westbrook started against Golden State after the Lakers relegated him to the bench just last week.

"The biggest shock to me last night was that Russell Westbrook started the game," Bayless said. "Wait a minute, what happened to the big theme of last Friday going into the final preseason game? Remember the big report? 'Russ has been demoted to the second unit. He’s going to quarterback the second unit, where he can play freer and happier,' right? And then before the game, Darvin Ham positioned it as, ‘not a demotion, but a realignment.’"

That plan lasted all of one game that didn't even count in the standings. Tuesday's contest did, and it only intensified the calls for Westbrook to be traded. The nine-time All-Star was at the center of such discussions all offseason, following an underwhelming 2021-22 campaign for both him and the Lakers. Westbrook averaged 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.1 assists with 44.4/29.8/66.7 shooting splits, while L.A. went 33-49 and missed the playoffs.

The Lakers have reportedly shown interest in acquiring Buddy Hield and Myles Turner from the Indiana Pacers, though not at the cost of two unprotected first-round picks.

Will their stance change if the struggles — both Westbrook's and the team's, that is — continue? The drama-filled Lakeshow continues Thursday against the Clippers. Stay tuned.