General Manager LeBron James“LeGM”: 22%
Here it is. Despite some aforementioned roadblocks created by Pelinka and Jeanie Buss, LeBron encouraged the Russell Westbrook acquisition. Who, yes is soon-to-be on this list, but has received far too much individual blame for the Los Angeles Lakers’ poor season.
Sounds kind of crazy to say with how detrimental he is on the offensive end, but ultimately the roster construction facilitated this mess. Westbrook is who he is. Jjust because he’s playing alongside a top two player ever doesn’t mean he can just smooth over his fatal flaws at age 33. Between that and no ancillary offensive presence outside of Malik Monk and Carmelo as a spot-up guy, it’s a recipe for disaster with Westbrook’s game handling the ball.
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We can’t heap all the praise on LeBron when he completely flips a reeling Cleveland Cavalier team at the trade deadline that later miraculously makes the finals in 2018. But then absolve him for what this roster has become. Which is headlined by being outdated, poorly constructed, and having an awful, untradeable Westbrook contract. Coupled with a bunch of veteran minimum contracts surrounding it giving you, Rob Pelinka, or Jeanie Buss, zero trade leverage to salvage it.
Although the lowlights on the court from Westbrook and others are pitiful, the brunt of the blame goes to the front office in this particular case. Having said that, though part of that falls on LeBron, it doesn’t even a tad as a player obviously, as he’s putting together another historically great season.