Patrick Beverley and Russell Westbrook have hated each other’s guts for nearly a decade now, and they’ve made it clear to everybody. But the Lakers clearly couldn’t care less, or at least not enough to not trade for him.
Beverley is one of the best backcourt defenders in the league, and, while he’s not as offensively impactful as Westbrook, he knows how to play within his role and how to coexist with other superstars.
His skill set, plus the fact that Westbrook isn’t likely to move on and squash the beef, could lead the Lakers to send Russ home and keep him off the active roster if they can’t find a trade partner, per Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
NBA Rumors: Lakers Could Send Russell Westbrook Home If They Can’t Trade Him
“If new coach Darvin Ham holds an open competition, Beverley could push Westbrook for the starting spot,” Buha wrote. “His strengths (3-point shooting and defense) are the two biggest knocks against Westbrook and the exact skills the Lakers need around James and Davis.”
“Beverley’s arrival makes it more likely that Westbrook will be off the active roster by the start of training camp, either through a trade or the team sending him home a la the Rockets with John Wall last season, according to a source close to the situation,” added Buha.
Westbrook’s fall from grace has been as fast and emphatic as his drives to the lane. He’s not the only one to blame for the Lakers’ shortcomings last season, but he’s just not a good fit with the roster.
His career has reached the point where teams would literally rather have Patrick Beverley over him. Hopefully, he’ll find a new home for the sunsetyears of his career. Somewhere he’s valued, but also a place where he can be held accountable for his mistakes and redeem himself while he still can.
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