Since joining the Los Angeles Lakers, Russell Westbrook has become persona non grata in Southern California.
Never mind that the Lakers’ failures last season likely had more to do with key injuries and poor roster construction.
Westbrook became the easy scapegoat because he was the new guy, the multiple flaws in his game and his perceived personality.
One of his former teammates, Kevin Durant, seems annoyed that Westbrook has been blamed for all that has gone wrong for the Purple and Gold. The Brooklyn Nets superstar made it clear that he had Westbrook’s back during an episode of the “The ETCs with Kevin Durant” podcast (warning – link has some strong language).
“It’s like now you’re making him the butt of your jokes,” said Durant. “… The dialog around our game is just so toxic at this point. I get criticism (on the court), but it’s starting to turn into something else right now.”
Durant, of course, has also been the subject of high criticism, mostly related to him joining the already-loaded Golden State Warriors in 2016, then bailing on them and going to the Nets three years later.
He drew even more criticism this summer when he asked the Nets to trade him after two disappointing seasons there.
At this point, all Westbrook can do to silence the critics is to win. Unfortunately, the Lakers may not have the roster to do enough winning to silence such people.
