Lakers accused of tarnishing Russell Westbrook's legacy

With only a week remaining until the new NBA season begins, Russell Westbrook was dangerously close to being out of the league. On Wednesday, the 36-year-old finally secured a roster spot by signing a one-year veteran minimum contract with the Sacramento Kings.

While the former MVP prolonging his career is feel-good news for the NBA community, many believe that his reputation has been tarnished beyond repair, to the point where teams don't value his services. 

Patrick Beverley blasts Los Angeles Lakers

Former NBA player Patrick Beverley has blamed the Los Angeles Lakers for not doing Westbrook any favors when the two-time scoring champion was forced to take a lesser role during his one-and-a-half-year stint with the team between 2021 and 2023. 

"It's [expletive] what happened to Russ, bro," Beverley fumed on the "Pat Bev Pod" earlier this week. "Russ got a bad take because of that Lakers team. That's the truth, bro... Ever since Russ left the Lakers, bro, he's been on a minimum. We've never seen this ever. We've never seen a player who's been the MVP, who's impacted the game, who they call names and tell him that he can't shoot."

Beverley argued that Westbrook is still "a starting point guard" but has been forced to assume a bench role due to his stint with the Lakers, where his reputation suffered a hit. As Beverley alluded to, Westbrook was routinely booed by Lakers fans and mocked with nicknames such as "Westbrick" due to his inconsistent shooting.