Russell Westbrook will enter his second year with the Lakers unless the team finds a way to trade him before the start of the season.

His first year in Los Angeles was difficult and culminated with the Purple and Gold missing on postseason. The topic of whether the former league MVP should come off the bench was discussed last season and is likely to come up again.

Some NBA executives and scouts think that leading the Lakers’ second unit is the best role for Westbrook. However, there is doubt as to whether the 33-year-old point guard is ready to accept a lesser role like Carmelo Anthony did a few years ago.

Via Ric Bucher of FOX Sports:

While an Eastern Conference scout also said he sees Westbrook ideally coming off the bench, he believes the biggest question is whether he is ready to accept it.

“It is not what he has left, it is: How he will accept that he is not the player that he was?” the scout said. “It’s similar to Carmelo. I’m not sure Russ has the awareness to accept a lesser role.”