Former teammate rips the Lakers for trying to keep Russell Westbrook

The Los Angeles Lakers listened to LeBron James and Anthony Davis and decided to trade for Russell Westbrook instead of Buddy Hield. While that would’ve been a no-brainer choice nearly every day of the week, it was a questionable decision at the time.

As great as Westbrook is, the fit next to their two ball-dominant stars was questionable, to say the least. The experiment failed in the preseason, and things never picked up in the regular season, making Russ the odd man out.

Westbrook’s character didn’t make things easier, either. He got into it with the fans, he called out Frank Vogel, and all things pointed out that he just wasn’t happy in Los Angeles. However, he’s still in Southern California.

NBA News: Kendrick Perkins Calls Out The Lakers, Says Their Relationship With Russell Westbrook Is Over

But as much as the Lakers and Darvin Ham want to make things work with Russ— or are obligued to, given his big salary— Kendrick Perkins believes that ship has sailed and they’ll never figure things out:

“The month of Neveruary. They would never figure it out,” Perkins said. “The Lakers will never figure it out when it comes down to the Russell Westbrook situation, whether that’s bringing him in off the bench to whatever the case may be.”

“It’s time to address the elephant in the room and the elephant in the room is that it’s just not going to work with Russ,” the former NBA champion added. “Ithink the relationship is pretty much over. Darvin Ham is trying his best, but at the end of the day, this Lakers roster, the way that it’s currently constructed, and I love the Patrick Beverley addition, but Russell Westbrook is not gonna be in full acceptance of this sixth-man role with the Lakers. He wasn’t brought here to embrace that, he is getting paid a lot of money, so I don’t think it’s ever gonna happen.”

Westbrook’s name continues to be thrown around in multiple trade rumors, and that also has to take a toll on his relationship with the team. Hopefully, for the fans, he’ll prove Perkins and all of us wrong and will make things work once and for all.