It's no secret that Russell Westbrook has not been the perfect fit for the Los Angeles Lakers since that blockbuster trade last summer. The former league MVP has still been stuffing the stat sheet — as he has been throughout his decorated career — but he just hasn't found his groove playing alongside the likes of LeBron James and Anthony Davis in Hollywood.

Unfortunately, at this point, more than a few folks have used Westbrook as the ultimate scapegoat for the Lakers' struggles all season long. So much so, that there have been rumors of a potential trade away from LA — and we're barely at the midway point of the campaign.

Westbrook himself recently faced these questions head-on. When asked if he holds any regrets about making the big move to the Lakers to team up with LeBron and Co., Russ responded in a very straightforward manner:

“No,” Westbrook said, via Sam Amick of The Athletic. “Nah. I mean, not at all, because — like I told you — it’s bigger than basketball for me.”

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Clearly, Westbrook isn't ruing his decision to move to Hollywood. There's no denying that he has struggled since joining the squad, and it's also true that the case has been the same for the Lakers. Nevertheless, Russ is adamant that they will be able to figure things out eventually. There's still so much basketball ahead for this team and to some extent, it just feels like they're too talented to not be able to get things right eventually. Then again, it's also a fact that they're on the clock and that the pressure is quickly mounting on the 21-21 Lakers, who are currently barely hanging on to a playoff spot out West.

It is important to note that on a personal level, Westbrook was born and raised in Los Angeles. He was born in Long Beach and grew up in Hawthorne. He went to Leuzinger High School in Lawndale and attended college at UCLA. His move to the Lakers was a homecoming for Russ, and it was only a matter of time before the 33-year-old came back to his beloved hometown. As he said, this trade was much bigger than just basketball for him.