Los Angeles Lakers guard Russell Westbrook Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Lakers' Russell Westbrook to come off bench for first time since rookie season in preseason finale

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 10/14/22

The Los Angeles Lakers have their final preseason game ahead of the 2022-2023 campaign on Friday night and will not have Russell Westbrook in their starting lineup. Instead, the nine-time All-Star and former league MVP will come off the bench, something he hasn't done since he was a rookie.

There's a hope that Westbrook can play freer and faster with ball in his hands on second unit -- and have to worry less about fitting away from ball around the starting group. It is certainly an idea they'll continue to discuss with start of regular season next week.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 14, 2022

Fun fact: Russell Westbrook hasn’t come off the bench since 2008. pic.twitter.com/cIVanjWkWK
— StatMuse (@statmuse) October 14, 2022

As one of the most durable stars in the NBA over his 14-year career, Westbrook has more starts than anyone in the league since 2009.

Most NBA starts since 2009:

1,004 — Westbrook
975 — LeBron pic.twitter.com/CZPGFwR16y
— StatMuse (@statmuse) October 14, 2022

A roller-coaster debut season in Los Angeles was followed by arguably an even wilder offseason for the 33-year-old. Westbrook is entering the final season of a five-year, $206 million contract that he signed with the team that drafted him (the Oklahoma City Thunder). Since the start of the deal, he has been traded to the Houston Rockets, then from the Rockets to the Washington Wizards and then from Washington to the Lakers.

While Westbrook did end up exercising his $47.1 million option in late June to return to Los Angeles, it wasn't without rampant trade rumors both before and after the fact.

The UCLA product averaged 18.5 points, 7.1 assists and 1.0 steals per contest last season, all of which were well under his career averages.

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