“He’s obviously made a career out of being a LeBron hater” - Doug Gottlieb criticizes Skip Bayless for normalizing name-calling, says it’s disgraceful

After Russell Westbrook said he feels fans are disrespecting him with the moniker "Westbrick," a discussion about how athletes are discussed and treated has arisen.

Media personalities are paid to discuss players. But where should the line be drawn? And what about for fans? Is heckling no longer deemed acceptable within an NBA arena? It seems like a can of worms is slowly being opened, and the ramifications could be widespread.

It's worth looking at Doug Gottlieb's comments about Fox Sports personality Skip Bayless' incessant criticism of LeBron James of the LA Lakers.

"I think it's disgraceful what Skip Bayless has done," Gottlieb said during 'The Gottlieb Show.' "He made feminine references to Chris Bosh, which is reprehensible, and so is this. You can't normalize this behavior. It's a lot like the (Donald) Trump conversation.

"You can tell me what you want about his politics, but the way in which he would speak to people, treat people, handle sensitive information was not that of President of United States. There is no argument otherwise. Everyone knows it's unacceptable behavior, the same on a very different and lesser level is true to Skip.

"If you're gonna make a reported 6 million dollars to be on TV. You know what you shouldn't be, you shouldn't be a name-caller, because it normalizes it. It becomes a thing."

There's a fine line between entertainment and creating a narrative. The latter of which can lead to negative opinions of a player for no reason other than what's being discussed on television or on radio shows. However, there needs to be some give and take, as fans are entitled to voice their discontent. It's their hard-earned money that keeps the NBA machine rolling after all.

Of course, no amount of money buys you the right to be abusive, inflammatory or diabolically ignorant towards any human being, regardless of their occupation or your opinion on how they go about their jobs.

Lakers' struggles are creating tension

When the LA Lakers acquired Russell Westbrook during the offseason and filled their roster with aging All-Stars, two camps quickly formed.

On the one hand, a large swell of people envisioned the Lakers struggling to make things work.There was a lack of spacing, a plethora of ball-dominant players and a locker room full of egos to manage.

On the other hand, this was a roster comprised of generational talents, with over 100 years experience combined.

Fast forward to the present day, and it looks like the first camp were right.

The Lakers (28-36) have been a mess for the majority of the season, but this roster was always designed with the playoffs in mind. And if LeBron James gets to the playoffs, well, we know better than to count him out. Just ask Klay Thompson if he regrets those comments from a few years back. Or rewatch how the Cleveland Cavaliers made history behind some historically dominant LeBron performances.

Although, Los Angeles needs to make it to the playoffs first, and as things stand, that's not guaranteed. But that isn't Westbrook's fault, and it isn't LeBron's fault. No one player can be held accountable for a game that boasts 15-man rosters.

So, maybe Gottlieb is right, maybe it's time to re-evaluate how sports stars – in the media and around the office water cooler.