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LOS ANGELES — Lakers coach Darvin Ham says he and Russell Westbrook have “moved on” and have “an understanding” after the purpose guard prompt Ham’s resolution to convey him off the bench within the preseason may have contributed to a minor hamstring harm he suffered.
Ham, nevertheless, pushed again at any insinuation that his rotation within the Lakers’ preseason finale loss to the Sacramento Kings — during which Westbrook performed simply 5 minutes off the bench earlier than exiting with the strained left hamstring — had something to do with the bodily setback.
“Let me be clear with this,” Ham mentioned earlier than his workforce hosted the LA Clippers on Thursday. “The Lakers, myself, my employees, we might on no account, form or type put a participant or an worker in hurt’s means. Bodily, mentally, spiritually. We do not stand for that. We’re not about that. That is not who we’re.”
Following the Lakers’ 123-109 season-opening loss to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday, Westbrook mentioned he “completely” believes that coming off the bench in opposition to Sacramento may have prompted the harm.
“I have been doing the identical factor for 14 years straight,” he mentioned, referring to beginning 1,005 out of 1,022 video games in his profession. “Truthfully, I did not even know what to do pregame. Being sincere, I used to be making an attempt to determine the right way to keep heat and free. … That is one thing I simply wasn’t accustomed to.”
Ham mentioned the 2 shared a “transient dialogue” in regards to the remarks. Ham went again to Westbrook within the beginning lineup in opposition to the Warriors and once more in opposition to the Clippers.
“We moved on, we obtained an understanding,” Ham mentioned. “Because the coach of this workforce, we will do what’s finest for our workforce to be as profitable as it may be. And I am going to simply go away it at that.”
Ham mentioned he understands “respect” and “routine” are necessary to the previous league MVP however acknowledged the team-centric targets he would require Westbrook to satisfy.
“He is been round a very long time. He is been a high-level participant for a really very long time. So, I do know what that is about and the way that’s,” Ham mentioned. “However then again, you need to be ready to do no matter your workforce wants you to do. And that is referred to as being knowledgeable. So, nevertheless we select to make use of him, there must be a willingness there to sacrifice on your teammates and total good of the workforce if that plan of action goes to result in success.”
Westbrook performed 31 minutes in opposition to Golden State and completed with 19 factors on 7-for-12 taking pictures, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 4 turnovers.
Ham mentioned he had a “good plan in place” for Westbrook’s position transferring ahead, however added, “based mostly on efficiency, minutes can go up, minutes can go down.”
Ham additionally mentioned he did not have an issue with Westbrook saying what he mentioned to reporters after the Warriors sport, or with LeBron James’ blunt evaluation that “we’re not a workforce that is constructed of nice taking pictures” — even when their feedback had been interpreted as critiques of the teaching employees and entrance workplace.
“It is a grown man’s league,” Ham mentioned. “Issues are going to be mentioned whether or not it is directed at somebody or not. I deal with it in stride. I have been round this factor for 26 years. I have been on quiet groups and I have been on a few loud groups. However I’ve the utmost respect for these guys. I imagine they’ve the utmost respect for me. There’s nothing taken private about something. We deal with it and we transfer on.”
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