Tyler Conway@@jtylerconwayFeatured Columnist IVJuly 20, 2022
Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for The h.wood Group

The Los Angeles Lakers guard was angry when the coaches pointed out mistakes.

He would push back on stuff that was obvious, like, 'Hey, you missed this defensive rotation.' He wasn't fond of being the center of attention in the film sessions.

After what can only be described as a miserable return for the NBA's Most Valuable Player, the Lakers have explored the trade market for him. The Lakers struggled to a 33-47 record as they were next to Anthony Davis and LeBron James.

Even though he was the healthiest of the three stars, he was criticized for his poor play. Behind the scenes, the dynamic played out, with Buha reporting that Westbrook bristled at changing his role and had no interest in role-player tasks.

Following Frank Vogel's dismissal as the Lakers' coach, the two men never seemed to get along.

I don't know what his problem was with me or why. I can't give you an answer as to why we didn't connect.

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I felt like I had to prove myself to him, and my capabilities, and what I've been able to do for this game, from the start. It's unfortunate but I don't have control over it.

Vogel didn't respond to the criticism. It's likely that those film sessions made him feel like he was being unfairly targeted.

It's become an increasingly disappointing twilight to Westbrook's career. The Lakers were his fourth team in as many seasons, and he recently parted ways with his agent.