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Patrick Beverley and Russell Westbrook have apparently already let bygones be bygones.
At the Los Angeles Lakers’ media day Monday, Beverley told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin that Westbrook has been his “best friend” following his trade to the team. They’ve both been arriving early to the gym to work out and build a rapport on the court.
It speaks to the longstanding bad blood between Beverley and Westbrook that the former’s arrival in the eyes of some pointed to the latter’s possible departure.
The Athletic’s Jovan Buha filed this report in August: “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.”
The 2013 NBA playoffs are the genesis of the rivalry. Beverley attempted to steal the ball from Westbrook as the then-Oklahoma City Thunder star was preparing to call a timeout. Westbrook suffered a torn meniscus that took him out for the remainder of the postseason.
Since then, they’ve engaged in a cold war that seemingly goes beyond a playful repartee between NBA peers.
As long as they’re teammates in Los Angeles, Westbrook and Beverley will have to put their differences aside for the greater good. Still, it remains to be clear whether the truce can hold once the games begin and head coach Darvin Ham has to manage their minutes.
The Lakers signed Dennis Schröder, which left the nature of Westbrook’s role in the backcourt even murkier.
Buha and colleague Sam Amick reported for The Athletic on Sept. 16 that “the prospect of Westbrook coming off the bench is being strongly considered.”
If Westbrook isn’t happy to be coming off the bench with Beverley starting or vice versa, then Ham and general manager Rob Pelinka could be facing a serious dilemma.
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