Many people have already begun counting the days until Russell Westbrook gets traded. The Los Angeles Lakers star's job in LA has been in jeopardy ever since his team started to pursue Kyrie Irving (despite their initial stance). This has created an uncomfortable situation where Westbrook doesn't know if he'll back for them next season.

Amid all this chaos, new head coach Darvin Ham had a reassuring message for Russell Westbrook. The newly-minted coach said that he's excited “as hell” to be able to utilize the former MVP to his full advantage. (via LakeShow)

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Westbrook's first season in Los Angeles was a complete disaster for all parties. He was brought in a major trade to help LeBron James rest more in the regular season. However, it seems like they didn't account for the fact that both men would need to share the court for the majority of the game.

Having two ball-dominant stars who are inefficient shooters at best is a recipe for disaster. The Lakers found that out first-hand, as they struggled immensely during the season. It didn't help that both Westbrook, James, and Anthony Davis got injured at various points throughout the season. The team just wasn't able to mesh together, and the wonky fit came back to haunt them.

Now, it seems like the Lakers are ready to pull the plug on the Russell Westbrook experiment. It's unfortunate that Russ' homecoming season turned out that way. Hopefully, the former MVP bounces back with an absolutely electric year, whether it's in LA or on a different team.