If anyone wants to know why Russell Westbrook didn't really connect with now-fired head coach Frank Vogel, the Los Angeles Lakers guard says he's not the person to ask. After all, he had never any problem with his former coaches, and the same goes with Vogel.

With that said, if there's anyone who had a problem, it could be Vogel towards Westbrook. Of course Russ is not making any speculation or starting a rumor about a potential beef. It's just for him, he has done his job.

“I'm not sure what his issue was with me, or why,” Westbrook said when asked about his relationship with Vogel. “I can't really give you an answer on why we never really connected.”

Russell Westbrook never really thrived in LA, and he has made it clear he's not happy with that. He even went as far as to saying that he was never given a “fair chance” to succeed with the Lakers and be who he is as a player–despite what LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the rest of the team said throughout the campaign.

“When I first got here, I just felt that I never was given a fair chance to be who I needed to be to better help this team,” Westbrook added during the same interview with reporters.

As mentioned, though, the Lakers have already decided on Frank Vogel's future. There were rumors about the team firing him after their final game of the season against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday, and general manager Rob Pelinka and co. made that official come Monday.

Now, the team is facing the difficult task of determining what to do with Westbrook after his unforgettable stint with the team. There have been rumors linking him to a trade out of the Purple and Gold franchise, with the likes of the Indiana Pacers and Charlotte Hornets said to be potential suitors.

Westbrook has a player option for the 2022-23 season, and whatever he decides to do on that will determine the next course of action the Lakers take. Pelinka has remained vague on what they plan to do with Westbrook, though he didn't really commit on keeping him. Instead, the LA GM only said that they will talk with him to determine what is best for his future.

“Again, rest assured, we’re going to look under every stone for ways to be better, and be open to anything that will improve our team and put us in a position to compete at a higher level next year than we did this year,” Pelinka said of Westbrook's future.

Does this mean the Lakers are leaning on trading or parting ways with Westbrook? Who knows? But by what Westbrook said during his presser, one can only question whether he still wants to be back with the team next season.

The Lakers have a lot of decision to make in the offseason. The Westbrook move is their biggest one for sure, but they also have to address their other problems on the roster and make sure they get more athletic and younger behind LeBron and AD. Their age and ability to stay on the court was a major problem in 2021-22, and they can't afford to commit the same mistake if they want to quickly return to contender status come the 2022-23 campaign.