Westbrook exits early after coming off bench in final preseason game

The Los Angeles Lakers brought point guard Russell Westbrook off the bench during the team's final preseason game Friday against the Sacramento Kings, but the experiment didn't last too long.

Westbrook left the game in the first quarter with a left hamstring injury and did not return. Head coach Darvin Ham said after the game that Westbrook believes he is fine, but the point guard will be re-evaluated Saturday.

Ham has been tinkering with the team's starting lineup throughout the exhibition campaign. He's used a different first five in each contest, a streak that continued with Westbrook coming off the pine.

"It's not a demotion; it's a realignment," Ham said prior to the game, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.

The former MVP has played only 17 of his 1,021 career regular-season games off the bench, all coming in his rookie season.

Westbrook struggled to acclimate to the Lakers in his first campaign with the team in 2021-22, scoring 18.5 points per game - his lowest since 2009-10. He also made just 44.4% of his field goals and 29.8% of his 3-pointers.

Bringing Westbrook off the bench would allow the guard to play freer offensively and not have to share the ball with superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

The Lakers' regular season begins on Oct. 18 on the road against the defending champion Golden State Warriors.