Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves told former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson on the “All the Smoke” podcast that Russell Westbrook is one of the best teammates he’s ever had. Reaves and Westbrook were teammates on the Lakers before Westbrook got traded to the Utah Jazz last season. After the Jazz waived Westbrook, the former MVP joined the Los Angeles Clippers.
“Yeah, he’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever had,” Reaves said about Westbrook. “As a person, you know, you can’t get much better. I got COVID like December of my rookie year in Minnesota. I was stuck in Minnesota for like seven days. So it was rough. But, you know, he reached out like three or four times, asked me if I needed anything, offered to send me stuff, whatever I needed. So as a person, you know, you couldn’t get better.
“And same as a teammate. Like he was always empowering everybody to really, you know, be better and do better and want more. And like you said, he gets a bad rap, and I don’t really understand why.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Russell Westbrook, Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Clippers & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Westbrook averaged 17.4 points, 6.9 rebounds and 7.2 assists in 130 games with the Lakers. Los Angeles went only 56-74 with the UCLA product in the lineup. Westbrook wasn’t a good fit next to Anthony Davis and LeBron James since he’s not a reliable shooter. The All-Star shot 29.7% from beyond the arc as a member of the Lakers.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Russell Westbrook, Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Clippers & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
The NBA’s all-time leader in triple-doubles, Westbrook averaged 15.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 7.6 assists in 21 games with the Clippers last season. The Clippers faced the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the 2023 playoffs and Westbrook averaged 23.6 points, 7.6 boards and 7.4 assists in the five-game series. The Clippers re-signed Westbrook on a two-year, nearly $8 million contract this summer in free agency.
Meanwhile, Reaves re-signed with the Lakers on a four-year, $56.3 million contract in restricted free agency.
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