Russell Westbrook didn’t get traded from the Lakers this offseason, but his role with the team could be changing in a major way.

Back in July, the Lakers’ new coach, Darvin Ham, told Marc Spears of Andscape that the mercurial 33-year-old point guard would be a starter and flourish in a new role. Now, that new role appears to mean possibly coming off the bench, according to a report by The Athletic.

“The prospect of Westbrook coming off the bench is being strongly considered,” sources told The Athletic’s Jovan Buha and Sam Amick.

That’s only the latest indication that the Lakers are looking to shake things up in a big way after a miserable 33-49 record that was marred by injuries, disjointedness and missing the playoffs just two years after winning the NBA title.

Last month, LA traded with the Jazz for guard Patrick Beverly. Then, Ham said earlier this month at Beverly’s introductory press conference that he and Westbrook would have to earn starting jobs, noting that he could see them starting together “if they play defense.”

And on Friday, the Lakers re-signed guard Dennis Schroder, who is in his second go-round with the team after spending last season with the Celtics and Rockets. Schroder played for LA during the 2020-21 season but infamously turned down an $84 million extension to test the free agent waters and get paid significantly less.

Now Schroder, who has a proven ability to play off the ball, is back and he joins Beverly, another guard who doesn’t need touches, in what is suddenly a crowded and competitive backcourt with the start of training camp a week away.

Westbrook averaged 18.5 points last season, down nearly four points from the year before. His assists also dropped significantly, from an NBA-best 11.7 with the Wizards in 2020-21, to 7.1 last season with the Lakers. The decline in his play was among the reasons why in January former NBA player turned ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins said it was time for him to come off the bench.

Yet when Ham was asked about that possibility during his introductory press conference in June, Westbrook, who was one of a handful of Lakers’ players in attendance, chuckled at the idea. Ham said that he’d spoken with Westbrook, though, and preached a willingness to sacrifice.

Now it seems we could find out just how much Westbrook, who exercised his $47.1 million option over the summer to return to the Lakers, is willing to sacrifice.