Could Patrick Beverley’s trade to the Lakers be indicative of Russell Westbrook’s future status on the roster?
The Lakers point guard — who has been at the center of trade rumors throughout the NBA offseason — might not suit up for Los Angeles in the 2022-23 season, according to The Athletic.
“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,” a source close to the situation told the outlet.
John Wall signed a two-year contract with the Clippers last month after reaching a buyout agreement with the Rockets in late June. Wall did not play last season after both parties agreed that the All-Star point guard, 31, would sit out as Houston focused on rebuilding and developing its young talent in Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr.
Wall split his time last season by working out solo in Miami, participating in practices, and sitting on the bench during games. Elsewhere, Wall was also involved in trade rumors with Westbrook this summer.
If the Lakers are unable to find a trade for Westbrook — who exercised his $47.1 million option in June to return to Los Angeles, in what would be the final year of his contract — the so-called Wall treatment is reportedly an option.
Earlier this week, the Lakers made a swift play for Beverley after their plan of a point guard swap with Westbrook and Nets star Kyrie Irving hit a dead end, according to a separate report by The Athletic.
Kevin Durant’s sudden recommitment to the Nets apparently derailed the Lakers’ plan to offload Westbrook for Irving, which was said to be a LeBron James demand.
On Thursday, however, James said he “can’t wait for [Westbrook] to go off this season,” in response to a message from internet personality Cuffs the Legend, who tweeted, “The Westbrook disrespect and vitriol is still corny regardless of how you feel about last season. Some people gotta get a life man.”
Beverley’s return to Los Angeles comes a year after the Clippers dealt him to the Grizzlies in August 2021. He landed with the Timberwolves a short while later and played for Minnesota during the 2021-22 season. Before landing with the Lakers, Beverley had been traded to the Jazz as part of a multi-player deal in July 2022, when Timberwolves acquired Rudy Gobert.
The Lakers sent the Jazz Talen Horton-Tucker as part of the Beverley trade.
With the acquisition of Beverley, the Lakers have added a savvy point guard to their roster, not to mention a much-needed boost of defensive energy after Los Angeles ranked 21st in defense last season.
The Lakers failed to make the playoffs last season in what was one of Westbrook’s worst offensive campaigns to date. His efficiency plummeted to 0.844 points per possession, putting him second-to-last for any player with at least 1,000 possessions, according to Synergy Sports.
Westbrook could be forced to accept a different role on the Lakers’ roster under coach Darvin Ham — if they decided to put Beverley at point guard.
Upon Beverley’s trade to the Lakers this week, the internet had a field day given the former second-round pick’s chippy history with Westbrook.
The bad blood between the two stems from when Beverley dove into Westbrook’s knee while the latter was calling a timeout in during the 2013 playoffs, injuring the then-Thunder star. They’ve gone at it many times in press conferences and on social media as well.
Beverley most recently mocked Westbrook in a Lakers-Timberwolves game in March, when he held his nose and yelled, “He’s trash,” at the Lakers’ bench.
Beverley was drafted by the Lakers in the second round in 2009.
