It’s safe to say that by all NBA standards, <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/lakers-coach-darvin-ham-to-have-authority-to-bench-russell-westbrook-2463-20220805-SPD-2463.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Russell Westbrook</a>‘s first year with the <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/bill-russells-no-6-jersey-retired-by-nba-the-last-players-to-wear-no-6-for-each-team-2510-20220812-SPD-2510.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Los Angeles Lakers</a> was a catastrophe. The former MVP signed with a club that had won the title the year before, and his arrival was a major factor in the squad’s subsequent collapse. 



Since then, the team has spent most of the offseason of 2022 seeking to move him, but without success, as no other club is willing to take on his $47 million contract. Many believe that the 33-year-old veteran would have a difficult time finding a new club in the free agent market if he were to earn a buyout upon a trade.



But club owner Jeanie Buss disagreed, saying the point guard’s debut year in purple and gold wasn’t without bright spots. In an interview with Sam Amick of The Athletic, she even named Westbrook the squad’s greatest player from last season.



<h2>What Jeanie Buss said of Russell Westbrook</h2>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">“All I can say is that, from my point of view, [Westbrook] was our best player last year. He played pretty much every single game, showed up, worked hard. You know, I would have loved to have seen what this team would have looked like if they stayed healthy. “It’s really tough to win when Anthony Davis isn’t on the court. LeBron was hurt a lot of the season. But Russ showed up every game and played hard every night. And, you know, I just really appreciate him for who he is and what he brings to the team.”</blockquote>

Jeanie Buss

Lakers owner Jeanie Buss defends 'best player last season' Russell Westbrook

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