LeBron James on Russell Westbrook going 0-for-11: "Flush it down the toilet and get ready for Sunday"

LeBron James shared his advice for Russell Westbrook, who went 0-for-11 in the LA Lakers' 103-97 loss to the LA Clippers on Thursday. Westbrook failed to score a field goal for the fourth time in his career. After a solid performance on Opening Night, the former MVP had one of his worst-career shooting nights.

In a postgame news conference, a reporter asked James what he would tell Westbrook following his atrocious performance. James wants him to forget it and move on. He wants Westbrook to be ready for Sunday's home game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

"Just flush it down the toilet and be ready for Sunday," James said. "He's a veteran. We've all had bad shooting nights, I've had bad shooting nights. Everybody in this league has had bad shooting nights. Who cares?

"I thought he played a great game. Defensively, he was in tune, he was locked in. He pushed the tempo, just didn't make any shots and that's okay. He had five steals."

Russell Westbrook finished the game with two points, three rebounds, four assists and five steals. He also recorded just one turnover, but went 0-for-11 from the field. He missed all six of his 3-point attempts, which drew gasps from the crowd at times.

The former MVP spoke to the media after the game and was asked why the LA Lakers lost.

"Not sure," Westbrook said. "No particular reason to fault. Competed."

Westbrook was also asked to assess his performance and replied:

"Solid, played hard - that's all you can ask for. Move on to the next one."

The nine-time All-Star had a solid performance on Opening Night against the Golden State Warriors. He finished with 19 points, 13 rebounds and three assists, while shooting 7 for 12 from the field.

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Is it time for the LA Lakers to trade Russell Westbrook?

Russell Westbrook of the LA Lakers.

With Russell Westbrook's latest poor shooting performance, the pressure to trade him might be getting stronger. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the LA Lakers will re-evaluate their situation after Thanksgiving. The team is reportedly hoping that more players will be available.

The tanking for Victor Wembanyama will likely kick off much earlier than expected. If teams become sellers, the Lakers are equipped with two first-round picks to attach to Westbrook.

The most linked players with the Lakers are Myles Turner and Buddy Hield of the Indiana Pacers. Turner is one of the best shot blockers in the NBA, while Hield will vastly improve the team's outside shooting.

Even Charles Barkley thinks that the Lakers should trade Westbrook already. He called out the 17-time champions for taking the life out of Westbrook.

"You know how I feel about Russell Westbrook," Barkley said. "I admire him, I respect him. It's time for the Lakers to move him. They've taken all his joy out of life and basketball. It's not about the numbers."