"The biggest culprit in all of this is LeBron James" – Stephen A. Smith blames LeBron James for Lakers’ pathetic performance, highlights trade blunders he supported to sign Russell Westbrook

On a night where Russell Westbrook failed to score a single field goal, LeBron James put up a double-double. The LA Lakers logged their second loss of the season and the start to their new season has been all but auspicious.

Westbrook, however, did make his presence felt defensively, logging five steals, his most in a game since the 2018-19 season.

Despite this performance, Westbrook's poor shooting was inevitably the topic of discussion among fans and the media.

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, however, put the onus on James for his postgame comments and declared him the biggest culprit in the Lakers' disaster:

"There's no question that the biggest culprit in all of this is LeBron James. And here's why it's LeBron James.

"It is not LeBron the player, that dude who was in his 19th year averaging 30. That dude whos's already showing us there's minimal if no slippage at all."

Smith further clarified his reasoning, taking shots at James for his poor shooting comments after the Warriors game on opening night:

"LeBron James is phenomenal as a player. But as LeBron James said in a press conference last night, he's not going to sit up there and harp what they can't do. Because that's not what leaders do.

"There's several things LeBron James has done that leaders don't do. No. 1 is, you don't end opening night's press conference by telling everybody your team can't shoot. And then sit up there and say, 'You know what, I'm going to sit up there and focus on what we can do.'"

In LeBron James' 20th year, it is imperative that the Lakers keep Westbrook's trade options open

James and Russell Westbrook.

Russell Westbrook's trade prospects lingered the entire season. And despite beginning the season on the Lakers roster, Westbrook might very well be traded around the trade deadline in February.

By then, the sample size should be big enough for the Lakers to make a decision on the former MVP.

ESPN's senior NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, however, has stated that the leash could be much shorter:

“I’m told to expect Rob Pelinka and the Lakers to wait until post-Thanksgiving, 20 games into the season.

He continued:

"And see what teams may start pivoting who don’t start off well. Who decide that they may start to unload players and perhaps get involved in the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes.”

Even if Russell Westbrook performs at a very high level until February, he might still be looked at as a trade piece. How Westbrook plays just doesn't fit how the Lakers are built around James and Anthony Davis.

Seeing as the Myles Turner/Buddy Hield trade didn't go through, and that there is little else that LA can trade for, the prospects look very thin.