Russell Westbrook and the storm brewing within the Lakers

By Melissa Rohlin
FOX Sports NBA Writer

LOS ANGELES — A storm could be brewing between Russell Westbrook and the Los Angeles Lakers. 

Even on media day, an event typically filled with broad smiles and unbridled optimism about what lies ahead, it was impossible to downplay the seething undercurrent of turmoil after an offseason of rumors around the star guard's status.

Nothing punctuated that more than Westbrook's response to a blunt query: Do you think the Lakers want you here?

"I mean, whether they want me here or not doesn't really matter, honestly," Westbrook said on Monday. "My job is to be professional, show up to work like I've always done."

It's no secret that the Lakers have been trying to shop Westbrook and his $47 million salary for this season after last year's disastrous first year with the franchise. He didn't fit in. His shooting was spotty. He blew too many defensive coverages. He was sometimes benched during crunch time. He was deeply unhappy. And the Lakers failed to make the playoffs despite championship expectations.

But Westbrook is still on the roster. And on this day of all days, if Westbrook can't even feign a feeling of belonging, how in the world is this supposed to work?

Westbrook went on to try and normalize the strife between himself and the Lakers.

"I mean, you all have jobs — sometimes people at our jobs don't like us or don't want us there, as you guys can probably attest to, on any level [of] job across the world," Westbrook said, scanning the reporters seated in front of him. "As a professional, and as a working man, I have to do my job and do it the best way I know how to be able to support and take care of my family. And that's what I will do."

[Russell Westbrook and the Lakers: How we got here]

It was the strongest statement made all day about the explosive issues teeming in Laker Land. It's clear that Westbrook knows he's unwanted. The situation may be a ticking time bomb.

That one response from Westbrook overshadowed all the other platitudes he doled out Monday. And there were a lot of them.

When the future Hall of Famer was asked about new coach Darvin Ham saying the starting point guard position is still up in the air, Westbrook gritted his teeth. 

"Whatever unfolds, unfolds," he said. "I'm just happy and blessed to be able to play the game I love."

When he was asked about his excitement level for next season, he responded emphatically: "Man, I'm super excited."

But it all came across a bit disingenuous. As we saw last season, Westbrook isn't exactly open to criticism — from anyone.

There was the time he bombed in his Lakers debut in front of his friends and family and then could hardly utter more than one-word answers to reporters' questions after the game.

Or when former Lakers coach Frank Vogel benched him during overtime in a game last February against New York, Westbrook was so upset he left without speaking to reporters.

Another time, he acknowledged the nickname "Westbrick" deeply bothered both him and his family.

Entering this season, all eyes are going to be on Westbrook. And for someone as prideful as him to acknowledge from the get-go that he feels unwanted, it's reasonable to assume trouble might be around the corner if the Lakers don't hit the ground running.

Westbrook will now have to prove himself to a fan base that booed him. He's going to have to earn his minutes with Ham. The former nine-time All-Star and MVP of the league in 2017 is going to have to suck up his pride and claw his way back to relevance, showing the world that he can still be a go-to scorer and put forth effort on defense. 

It's a tough setup for anyone, even if their team is 100 percent behind them. But he made it clear that they are not without explicitly saying so.

For what it's worth, Westbrook's teammates played the role of the good media day soldiers, backing him up. 

When LeBron James was asked if he thinks Westbrook can work with the Lakers, he didn't hesitate in his response.

"Absolutely. Absolutely," James said, even though the two stars reportedly didn't say a word to each other publicly when they were both at a Lakers' Summer League game in Las Vegas in July.

Anthony Davis chalked up the Big Three's failings last season to them only playing 21 games together because of various injuries. In fact, he still stands behind the "Let Russ be Russ mantra" — you know, the same one that Westbrook denied was ever encouraged during exit interviews last season. "I tell him that before every game, 'Like, be yourself,'" Davis said. 

As for Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, he acknowledged that he's always looking for upgrades. But he went on to call Westbrook "a great part of our team."

And Ham, who has repeatedly expressed his excitement to coach Westbrook ever since he was hired in June, continued to show support for the guard, calling him "awesome." 

"Everything I've asked of him, he's done," Ham said. 

But Westbrook is the only one that matters.

If Westbrook feels unwanted, he's not going to thrive. If the new guards the Lakers brought in this offseason — Dennis Schroder or Patrick Beverley — start ahead of him, there's potential for him to check out. 

If he can't be the highly respected triple-double threat he once was, the team will be forced to get rid of him, or deal with a sulking former superstar who is going to cast a shadow over the whole team.

It's an incredibly tough situation, one from which there is no hiding.

Melissa Rohlin is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the league for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, the Bay Area News Group and the San Antonio Express-News. Follow her on Twitter @melissarohlin.