Kendrick Perkins ranks former teammate Russell Westbrook over ringless legend Chris Paul: "I do not have him in my top 10"

Russell Westbrook has seen his fair share of criticism in recent seasons. However, his former teammate, Kendrick Perkins, rated him higher than LA Clippers veteran guard Chris Paul.

Perkins asserted thaat Paul is a top 15 point guard, but he's not in his top 10. Perkins' reasoning is that when ranking all-time greats, accolades like championships, Finals MVP and regular season MVP should be considered.

“CP3 (Chris Paul) is the top 15 greatest point guard of all time. I do not have him in my top 10,” Perkins said on Monday, via the “Road Trippin’ Show” podcast. “I don't have CP3 ranked above Russell Westbrook. But when it comes down to rankings, you got to check those boxes and you got to have those accolades. And when I say accolades, yes, championships or finals MVP, obviously. But CP3 don't have one MVP.”

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Westbrook won the league’s MVP award in 2017. He also became the first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double over a season. Paul, despite his longevity and consistency, has never won MVP, finishing as a runner-up once in 2008.

Both players have been criticized for falling short in the playoffs. However, only Westbrook has led a team to a conference finals as a primary scoring option (2016 Thunder). Paul reached the NBA Finals once (2021) but has also had multiple blown leads in the postseason.

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What’s next for Russell Westbrook?

Russell Westbrook opted out of his 2025-26 player option with the Nuggets worth $3.4 million, making him an unrestricted free agent as of June 30. Reports indicated a return was not completely ruled out, but he remains unsigned by any NBA team.

Russell Westbrook against Oklahoma City Thunder - Source: Imagn

The Sacramento Kings are widely reported as the most realistic landing spot, with interest in adding veteran playmaking depth behind Zach LaVine and Keegan Murray. The Miami Heat also emerged as favorites according to Bovada, with potential to offer a veteran's minimum contract for depth in the backcourt.

The nine-time All-Star averaged 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game last season.

Edited by Victor Ramon Galvez