At this point in the season, it might not even be accurate to describe Russell Westbrook as polarizing to most Los Angeles Lakers fans. It's gotten to a point where his play has evidently been subpar and it gets harder to deny with each loss that piles on.

Westbrook has struggled even more of late. He's averaged just 13.7 points per game in his last nine contests, failing to score 20 points in every single one. The Lakers went 3-6 in those games. Interestingly enough, two of those wins were when Russ had his worst shooting games – a nine point, 3-for-12 outing against the Blazers and a brutal 5-point, 1-for-10 line against the Knicks.

With 21 games left in the season, if the Lakers were to make a drastic move, it's now. However, reports indicate that Russell Westbrook has zero plans to exit the starting lineup.

Via Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer:

Any suggestion for Westbrook to come off the Lakers' bench would never have been entertained by the guard, sources said, and Vogel's staff never seriously broached the subject with him. Westbrook has started all 59 games he has appeared in. And despite what's been described as a fluid dialogue between Vogel and Westbrook, the former All-Star has publicly chafed about being sidelined during fourth quarter play.

Given the already precarious relationship between Vogel and Westbrook, perhaps a move of that nature would further hinder Westbrook from playing up to his usual standards. However at this point in the season, it may already be getting too late to hope for a Russ renaissance. If the losing continues to pile up, changes might become a necessity.