Los Angeles Lakers point guard Russell Westbrook endured plenty of criticism and rumors during a very disappointing 2021-22 campaign.
As a result, a lot of experts and insiders currently believe that Westbrook has already played his last game in L.A.
Former NBA big man Kendrick Perkins made a statement during the season about Westbrook’s future with the Lakers. Perkins said that out of the three players that made up L.A.’s Big 3 in the 2021-22 season, the team should try to trade Westbrook away.
Perkins recently revealed that he’s trying to get his relationship back with Westbrook as a result of his claim.
“I’m actually working on getting my relationship back with one of my brothers who was very, very upset in Russell Westbrook,” he said. “I’ve defended Russell Westbrook for years, and this year, he struggled. And it was a topic that came up on ‘First Take,’ and they asked, they said, ‘Out of the Big 3 that’s in with the Lakers, which one would you trade?’ Now, you’re not going to trade LeBron James, okay? Let’s be realistic. You’re not going to trade Anthony Davis. Let’s be real about that. So, the person who’s left to answer the question is, for me, was Russell Westbrook. Now, I don’t make up the topics. That’s the first thing people have to realize. … I said it, and it hurt me, though.”
Perkins also revealed that Westbrook’s wife reached out to Perkins’ wife to discuss how much the comments hurt her and her husband. Perkins said he then reached out to Westbrook’s wife, but she never responded.
For fans, it is easy to forget that personal relationships play a large role in professional sports. When it comes to Perkins and Westbrook, the two played together for many years on the Oklahoma City Thunder. The rift in their friendship has certainly hurt both of them.
At the end of the day, Westbrook is a person first and player second. Even though he struggled with the Lakers in the 2021-22 season, there are certainly more people rooting for him than against him. Perkins is obviously rooting for him even though he offended him during the season.
Hopefully, the two can patch up their differences and move forward.
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