Damian Lillard is not holding back when it comes to the 2022 Los Angeles Lakers and their controversial handling of Russell Westbrook. In a recent interview, Dame called out what he saw as a glaring roster management mistake, questioning why one of the greatest point guards of all time was being relegated to a bench role.
Damian Lillard calls out the 2022 Lakers:
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) March 26, 2026
"The Lakers had Russ coming off the bench like he's not Hall of Famer Russell Westbrook. Like what?!" (@Beastbr00k0) pic.twitter.com/lcWUx70Eyl
A Hall of Famer Deserves Better
Lillard's critique is blunt and direct: "The Lakers had Russ coming off the bench like he's not Hall of Famer Russell Westbrook. Like what?!"
The comment cuts to the heart of what went wrong with that Lakers roster. Russell Westbrook, a nine-time NBA All-Star, MVP, and one of the greatest playmakers in basketball history, was reduced to a reserve role. For a franchise legend like Lillard, this represents a fundamental misuse of talent and disrespect to a future Hall of Famer.
The 2022 Lakers Experiment That Didn't Work
The 2022-23 Lakers season was supposed to be special. The team brought together LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and acquired Russell Westbrook in hopes of creating a "Big Three" that could compete for a championship. Instead, the roster construction fell apart, and the team underperformed significantly.
One of the biggest issues was figuring out how to utilize Westbrook. His ball-dominant playing style didn't mesh well with LeBron and AD's needs, leading to an awkward fit. Rather than finding a way to make it work, the Lakers defaulted to benching him—a decision that frustrated fans and seemed to underscore a lack of confidence in his abilities within that system.
Lillard's Perspective from the Inside
As someone who recently joined the Lakers himself, Lillard has a front-row seat to the organization's decision-making. His comments suggest he views the Westbrook situation as a cautionary tale—a reminder that star power and pedigree don't automatically translate to on-court chemistry without proper planning and utilization.
Whether or not the current Lakers roster avoids similar issues remains to be seen, but Lillard's willingness to call out past mistakes shows he's serious about learning from the franchise's recent missteps.
The 2022 Westbrook experiment is now a footnote in Lakers history, but it's one that continues to spark conversation about roster construction and how to properly deploy generational talent.
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