Saysumthinfunnymike
VOTE!!!
Yes, if he's a key contributor on a title team AFTER all these media personalities and some fans said he's "not a winning player" and all that nonsense... it'd be a big fukk you and honestly I'd love to see it 
At this stage of his career, Does a ring do anything for Russell Westbrook's legacy?
- Thread starter BBG
- Start date
Nuggets winning the chip
He could be the 3rd best player
He could be the 3rd best player
murksiderock
Superstar
No, this does nothing for his legacy, but be a nice ribbon on his end of career...I feel like Dwight Howard was in a similar situation in that he couldn't win as the man, gets older, declines a bit but still finds a way to be a valuable contributor on a championship team. He eventually won with the Lakers but I don't think anybody really gives a fukk. It's not a Gary Payton ring, he actually played valuable minutes but still I don't think it matters in the grand scheme of things.
If the Nuggets win it all, does it do anything at all for young Sabo's legacy
if so, I think it confirms rings only matters if you are THE man on the championship team. But then this sparks other debates because what do you do with a Jaylen Brown, who was just as important if not more important than "the man" Jayson Tatum?
Also, Im not sure Scottie Pippen would be remembered as fondly (still a great player) without those rings. I know this is a lot to dissect but I don't think nikkas are doing the knowledge when it comes to these rings arguments. There's plenty nuance that dumb nikkas skip over to fit their own agenda
When we discuss players, we are talking about them in their primes and at their peaks. When we talk about Jordan, we not talking about Wizards Mike unless Wizards Mike is specifically brought up...
We not talking about post-Achilles Kobe, unless the post-Achilles period is specifically mentioned...
We not talking about post-back injury Bird unless '90 Bird is a specific topic of conversation...
When we say "Mike" or "Kobe" or "Bird" we are talking about when those guys were at their heights. I'm using those three as examples, but this applied to every great player. Subconsciously we all understand this...
So this also correlates to championships. We count every title but literally nobody looks at old man, role player rings the same way as #1 rings, unless they are trying to win an argument. No one looks at #2 rings the same way as #1 rings, unless they are trying to win an argument...
Subconsciously we know the difference between Kevin McHale, Scottie Pippen, Sam Jones rings, guys who never won a title as #1's, and Mike or LeBron rings, who ONLY won rings as #1's...
To that point though, there are plenty guys who won rings as #2's or role players and also won as #1's: Kobe, Wade, Kawhi, Parker, Duncan, Havlicek, etc. Its not a super short list...
But we also distinguish guys who only won as #2's or lesser. Jaylen Brown will always be looked at in the Pippen or McHale zone unless he leads a team as a true #1...
For Westbrook, had he and Durant pulled off a title in his prime, he'd be viewed more favorably, being viewed as a McHale or Pippen would be a higher historic standing than he's given now...
He couldn't even come close to a championship run when he was a #1...
I don't think Denver will win it this year. But if they did, its a nice bow on his career but when people think about "Westbrook" they'll more remember when he was in his prime------>that Westbrook couldn't lead championship runs, and couldn't be the second best player on a championship run...
Russ >> Harden
Yes, I said it
Yes, I said it
murksiderock
Superstar
Kyrie had a much less consistent career than Stockton, won his only ring as a #2, and hasn't won another since, so there's no track record of title runs with him the way you could say for McHale or Pippen...
Stockton was a better player career-for-career, even if the argument is made that Kyrie is a better player in a vacuum...
I think all rings count----->but we have to contextualize them. That's where people go wrong, like we know Magic wasn't The Guy on the '80 Lakers, so when we giving him his appropriate flowers for how he dominated G6 Finals that year and brought the title home, let's remember that Kareem was the '80 MVP putting up a dominant series to that point and was clearly the best player in basketball...
All Magic's rings count but his '85, '87 and '88 titles are more valuable than his '80 and '82 ones. He has three rings when he was a #1, and two when he wasn't...
Guys who win role player rings just have to be contextualized right. Kawhi later proved in '19 he could be the best player on a championship team----->he absolutely was NOT that in 2014, so when talking about him, people gotta remember that context...
Russ as is, can be debated as better than any of the points you named. His prime was high enough. A ring doesn't do anything. If someone thinks he's ahead or behind those guys, a ring doesn't change it...
I personally think Kidd is one of the most overrated players ever. Westbrook was a clearly better player...
He and Paul are debatable as is. I don't think him winning a ring does anything to that convo...
murksiderock
Superstar
no man 
KFBF
Superstar
One is called the Point God and the other it's been said forever you can't win with him on your team. I think him winning a chip might have an impact on perception.
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murksiderock
Superstar
It may so some, I'm sure. I guess I should just say it don't change shyt for me. I think they are debatable and it doesn't change with him winning a ring in his 17th year, on his 6th team, as a 6th man...
you know I'm right
Dipsey Doo
Superstar
Russ winning a championship being a super sub would rewrite a lot of the narrative about his career up to this point.
Best redemption arc since Ron Artest in 2010.
Best redemption arc since Ron Artest in 2010.
Unbothered
ELEVATING to HIGHER LEVELS with POSITIVE VIBES ✨
Yes.
The thing is that most NBA fans love Russell Westbrook; it's just that sometimes his style of play, the way he plays during a game, can be problematic, so to see him exceeding expectations this year with the Nuggets has done a lot of good for him and if he wins a ring it would change the perception surrounding his career.
A lot of folks, even on here, before the regular season started, thought it was gonna be a disaster, and he'd be traded mid-season, but he instead turned it around and is playing his best basketball since probably when he was a Washington Wizard.
The thing is that most NBA fans love Russell Westbrook; it's just that sometimes his style of play, the way he plays during a game, can be problematic, so to see him exceeding expectations this year with the Nuggets has done a lot of good for him and if he wins a ring it would change the perception surrounding his career.
A lot of folks, even on here, before the regular season started, thought it was gonna be a disaster, and he'd be traded mid-season, but he instead turned it around and is playing his best basketball since probably when he was a Washington Wizard.
Did it do anything for Gary Payton or Jason Kidd?
I'm not understanding how anyone can possibly say it won't help his legacy.
Denver's rotation is only 6-7 deep, and even despite him averaging the 6th-most minutes, he's still averaging 25 min per game in the playoffs, where he's essentially been their energy compass whenever they're going through the motions or can't seem to break the rhythm of the game in their favor. He was the most influential player in their Game 7 win against the Clippers, so if he continues have impact like that, it has to weigh heavily in his favor when measuring his legacy.
You gotta look at the fact he's 36 too, and players his age aren't typically relied upon to play the sort of a role.
That aside, I think this type of conversation should be reserved until his team makes the Finals, otherwise, it's rather pointless if they crash out in the 2nd round.
Denver's rotation is only 6-7 deep, and even despite him averaging the 6th-most minutes, he's still averaging 25 min per game in the playoffs, where he's essentially been their energy compass whenever they're going through the motions or can't seem to break the rhythm of the game in their favor. He was the most influential player in their Game 7 win against the Clippers, so if he continues have impact like that, it has to weigh heavily in his favor when measuring his legacy.
You gotta look at the fact he's 36 too, and players his age aren't typically relied upon to play the sort of a role.
That aside, I think this type of conversation should be reserved until his team makes the Finals, otherwise, it's rather pointless if they crash out in the 2nd round.