Text/ Ken
According to Adrian Wojnarowski, Russell Westbrook, who was traded to the Jazz by the Lakers, will join the Los Angeles Clippers after completing the buyout. After failing to sign John Wall in the pre-season summer, the Clippers once again chose to buy the “former star ball” at a low price.
In view of the failure of Wall’s run-in, it is difficult to be optimistic about the chemical reaction between Westbrook and the Clippers. The two have similar shortcomings, such as lackluster outside ability. It is difficult to participate in off-ball running, how to match with other stars? It’s a problem they haven’t solved their entire careers.
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The Clippers expect Westbrook to bring more transition and running dynamics, something he is good at and where the Clippers lack. After cutting to tear the defense, the Clippers were able to deploy a shooter to cover their shortcomings, at least Paul George said in public talks “We can run with him (Westbrook), and we have enough space, I know his style of play, We can complement each other by creating space for the shooter and transitioning the break.” But…notice that? This set of rhetoric can probably be completely copied and pasted to describe Wall in the previous summer.
The Clippers’ very slow PACE (offensive pace) will not be conducive to Westbrook’s performance. 98.24 is the seventh slowest in the league. As a comparison, the Lakers’ 102.37 is the second fastest this season. The offensive rhythm is very slow and there are a lot of singles, which are often played by George and Kawhi Leonard. Once the rhythm is slowed down and Westbrook enters the half-court offense, his organizational ability is worse than Wall, and he has to bear a certain degree of unreasonable shots. Indiscriminate shooting, and the high number of turnovers averaged 3.5 times per game this year. Taking the ball away means lacking outside range. As for running without the ball? It’s hard to expect something Westbrook has rarely done his entire career.
What can be expected is that compared to Wall’s absence for a whole season, Westbrook still has a lot of actual combat in the past two years and has a better physical condition. Even if the Lakers switch to the bench this season, at least 15.9 points, 7.5 assists and 6.2 rebounds are still paid out on account. Stronger offensive intentions, and will not be like Wall, who dribbled the ball for a long time and ended up with a mid-range shot. More play styles and intentions to hit the penalty area are what the “Jump Shot Team” Clippers like to see, and he Having worked with George in the Thunder and China, there may be some optimism.
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How to match with Double Star? Westbrook doesn’t need to think so far, just think of it as another lottery after Wall, and the salary given will not be 40 million, let alone a mini-middle class like Wall, it’s just a basic salary contract, if it’s not suitable, just freeze it go down. According to “The Athletic” news, the Clippers plan to let Westbrook start, but they will start from the bench for the time being, and it is estimated that they will replace Bones Hyland’s playing time, with Normal Powell, Eric Gordon and other off-ball players, and get a certain amount of possession , as the first attempt to construct a lineup configuration suitable for Westbrook’s play from the bench.
If Westbrook can successfully lead the bench, then this basic salary contract is already overvalued, not to mention a little chemical reaction with the double star. Even if the run-in fails, there is not much loss to the Clippers this season. There is a significant gap in strength with the leaders in the East and West. It is still very difficult to break through the West with the current lineup and style of play.
It’s just that Terance Mann will be the biggest victim again. With Westbrook joining, there is a high probability that he will be unplugged. The key to stability. Judging from many sources, both George and Leonrd participated in this recruitment. Whether the head coach Ty Lue can allocate time reasonably, or boldly freeze and abandon when necessary, will also be the focus of the Clippers’ running-in (this season I No confidence in Ty Lue).
The previous analysis of the mid-season trade mentioned that I think Westbrook is the last sustenance of the Clippers. This is not news for joy, but more of helplessness. , It’s really embarrassing to come to this step.” The Clippers are in an embarrassing ranking. He will not be the most suitable player for the Clippers, but he is the best product on the shelf in the current buyout market. Compared with other players who can sign at this stage, Westbrook obviously has the highest The upper limit, the vitality of the court and the ambition to win are also the most likely to fundamentally change the physique of the Clippers.
This is probably the most contradictory signing of the Clippers since the George and Leonard era. It is obvious that the two sides are not suitable. On the one hand, it shows that they have no spare energy to realize the ideal lineup and play style. On the other hand, the current situation is precarious. Westbrook has reasons worth gambling, but his style of play and style of play are not what the Clippers want. If we go back to this season, the executives constantly emphasized that the striker sea they hope to create is mobility, defensive ability and outside line. At the beginning, Zubac was arranged with the second team, but later he made his career playing time hit a record high, and then he put it away. The top three defenders, Frozen Robert Convington, and Terance Mann’s positioning have changed back and forth, all of which continue to slap their own statements. The Clippers seem to have no problems with their trades, and they are also very beautiful, but in reality they are always unsatisfactory. I believe that the time for major changes is not far away.
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