The Lakers plan to bring Russell Westbrook off the bench in Friday’s preseason finale against the Kings, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin and Adrian Wojnarowski.
Coach Darvin Ham and Westbrook have been exploring the possibility of having the nine-time All-Star quarterback L.A.’s second unit, rather than overlap too heavily with the likes of stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The team hopes that the move will allow Westbrook the opportunity to have the ball in his hands more often and play “freer and faster.”
Nothing is set in stone, but the Lakers hope to use Friday night’s exhibition to aid them in their discussions about the rotation before the regular season begins next week.