Lakers Rumors: Russell Westbrook to Come Off Bench for 'Foreseeable Future'

The Los Angeles Lakers reportedly plan to use point guard Russell Westbrook off the bench for the "foreseeable future" starting with Friday night's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Westbrook, who's set to return from a hamstring injury that caused him to miss Wednesday's loss to the Denver Nuggets, will be dropped to the reserves in favor of a more traditional two-guard lineup:

• G: Patrick Beverley
• G: Lonnie Walker IV
• F: LeBron James
• F: Anthony Davis
• C: Damian Jones

The nine-time All-Star hasn't come off the bench during a regular-season game since his rookie year with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2008-09.

The Lakers played against the Kings in the preseason finale. He blamed the role change for the injury that limited him to 5 minutes.

"Absolutely. I've been doing the same thing for 14 years straight. Honestly, I didn't even know what to do pregame. Being honest, I was trying to figure out how to stay warm and loose. For me, obviously the way I play the game, it's fast-paced, quick, stop-and-go. And I just happened to, when I subbed in, I felt something. Thought it was... didn't know what it was, but I wasn't going to risk it in a preseason game. But definitely wasn't something I was used to. Wasn't warm enough. But that's something I just wasn't accustomed to."

Lakers head coach Darvin Ham defended the team's medical staff in response:

Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina

Darvin Ham said he talked with Russell Westbrook after he said his bench role “absolutely” contributed to his injury. Ham defended the Lakers and their medical staff pic.twitter.com/EZGn72QH9Z

Any hope Westbrook could produce a bounce-back season following a forgettable first year in L.A. has started to fade. He's averaged 10.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists while shooting 28.9 percent from the field, including a 1-of-12 mark on threes (8.3 percent).

While the 2016-17 NBA MVP didn't sound thrilled about coming off the bench in the preseason, it likely represents the Lakers' last chance to get value from him.

Playing a majority of his minutes when James and/or Davis are off the floor, allowing him to play a more ball-dominant style with the second unit, could provide a spark.

Otherwise, the chorus of questions about why the Lakers front office didn't do everything in its power to trade Westbrook over the summer will grow louder.

Any package, including a proposed deal with the Indiana Pacers that included guard Buddy Hield and center Myles Turner for Westbrook and a pair of first-round picks, could have provided the revitalized vibe L.A. sorely needed after missing the playoffs last season.

With the Lakers sitting at 0-4, Ham and Co. are already being forced to shuffle the rotation in a desperate attempt to find chemistry.