Lakers

2022 - 9 - 7

Post cover — Image courtesy of "Los Angeles Times"

Hernández: To make it work with Lakers, Russell Westbrook must ... (Los Angeles Times)

As much as Ham has complimented Westbrook, there are doubts in his head about whether the player can adjust. Minnesota Timberwolves guard Patrick Beverley ...

Kershaw initially tried to continue pitching for the Dodgers how he did when he was in his prime, relying on his fastball and slider. Or will he use it to stare down hard truths and attempt to reinvent himself as a player? Westbrook has to know he is the most expendable of the Lakers’ three superstars and that he would have been traded by now if not for the team’s reluctance to part with future draft picks. And on Tuesday, he was on the side of the media room of the Lakers’ practice facility as Beverley answered questions about his return to Los Angeles. The Lakers can’t win with Westbrook playing how he did last season. Pujols was a below-average offensive player over his last four years with the Angels. This might not be fair to the 33-year-old Westbrook, or even possible, but that’s what Ham challenged the former MVP to do soon after he was named as Frank Vogel’s replacement. Pujols accepted a role as a part-time player and mentor. Kershaw learned how to pitch with diminished velocity. Buying in will be playing defense. He spent time on the summer league team’s bench in Las Vegas. So what are you gonna give up?”

Lakers News: Russell Westbrook Supports Patrick Beverley At The ... (Sports Illustrated)

Russell Westbrook and Patrick Beverley wasted no time showing gathered journalists that all was well in Lakerland today during Beverley's first press ...

Maybe Westbrook finally sees the light and will accept a reduced bench role spotting Beverley, or at least playing alongside the 6'1" Beverley in an undersized backcourt. There is no way Russell Westbrook playing the way he did last season will contribute to winning basketball (L.A. The 6'3" 2017 MVP starts off leaning in a corner, almost hidden behind a barricade away from the microphones and video cameras of the media scrum.

Lakers' Patrick Beverley on playing alongside Russell Westbrook ... (Fox News)

Los Angeles guard Patrick Beverley was introduced as a Laker on Tuesday and told reporters that he was looking forward to playing with Russell Westbrook.

[CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP](https://foxnews.onelink.me/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&af_dp=foxnewsaf%3A%2F%2F&af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fapps-products) [CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM](https://www.foxnews.com/sports) I think the more ball handlers I think the better you are as a team." [asked about playing with Westbrook](https://www.foxnews.com/sports/lakers-russell-westbrook-receives-support-lebron-james-patrick-beverley-rivals-teammates). [RUSSELL WESTBROOK ‘MORE LIKELY’ TO BE OFF LAKERS’ ACTIVE ROSTER FOLLOWING PATRICK BEVERLEY TRADE: REPORT ](https://www.foxnews.com/sports/russell-westbrook-more-likely-off-lakers-active-roster-following-patrick-beverley-trade-report) [member of the Houston Rockets](https://www.foxnews.com/category/sports/nba/houston-rockets), colliding with Westbrook’s knee and injuring him in the process.

Russell Westbrook meeting wasn't the shocking part of Patrick ... (New York Post)

When asked how he feels about having the opportunity to play alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Beverley took a slight jab at his new team and hashed ...

“That is what comes with winning, but I am excited about those conversations, I am excited about the practices. I have [known] Bron since I was a baby, a rookie in this league, so obviously I want to play with him. So I am super excited to see where it goes.” I was asked this question two, three years ago, [about] someone I always wanted to play with and [Westbrook] was the first name. However, Beverley had nothing but positive things to say when asked about his fit with Westbrook on Tuesday. Los Angeles also dealt with a number of injuries that kept their Big Three of James, Davis and Westbrook limited to 21 games together.

Lakers News: Patrick Beverley 'Super Excited' To Play Alongside ... (LakersNation.com)

Patrick Beverley said he is excited to share the court with new Los Angeles Lakers teammate Russell Westbrook.

Out of ATOs, he likes to post on the right wing, I shoot 50 percent from the left corner three. Also, Westbrook and Beverley reportedly [discussed their potential partnership](https://lakersnation.com/lakers-rumors-patrick-beverley-russell-westbrook-have-been-in-contact-about-playing-together-despite-previous-differences/2022/08/31/) shortly after the trade, suggesting they were ready to bury the hatchet. I am just excited to be able to compete with someone like that.” That is what comes with winning, but I am excited about those conversations, I am excited about the practices. But a player with that competitive spirit, that fire, that will, that dog, that nastiness, that grit — to have a running mate like that, I have never had that. [the latter poking fun at the 2017 NBA MVP](https://lakersnation.com/lakers-news-patrick-beverley-mocks-russell-westbrook-on-twitter-amid-recent-slump/2022/02/12/) during his difficult first year in L.A.

'They Need a Time Machine': League Insiders Aren't Buying What ... (Bleacher Report)

Everything looked rosy on Tuesday in Los Angeles at the Lakers pra, with Russell Westbrook on hand to welcome Patrick Beverley at the Lakers team facility.

If the shooting matches the numbers on paper, the Lakers will need to compensate by playing elite-level defense this season. The Lakers aren't the latter, at least on paper. Westbrook hit 29.8 percent in his lone season with the Lakers. to be anywhere close to a top defensive squad. The last doesn't expect the franchise to even make the play-in. If the Lakers decide to go in a different direction with Westbrook, Ham will pivot. The nine-time All-Star needs to make massive strides this season. The same source raised concerns about Davis. "If he has to come off the bench or not play at all, then do what's best for the team. The answers were uniform. To help Ham execute his vision, the front office gave him younger, more athletic role players. So what's the plan?

Patrick Beverley Says He Enjoys Lakers More Than Clippers (Sports Illustrated)

If anybody expected Patrick Beverley to approach this opportunity with the Los Angeles Lakers any different than he already has, they have not followed his ...

Having not yet played one game with the Lakers, it is hard to imagine Beverley has gotten a real sense of what it's like to be on that side; however, it is not surprising to hear him say something like this. Since being traded from the LA Clippers, Beverley has still shown love to his former teammates and organization, but there is an evident and understandable feeling of opposition that stems from being dealt. If anybody expected Patrick Beverley to approach this opportunity with the Los Angeles Lakers any different than he already has, they have not followed his career very closely.

Russell Westbrook Trade from Lakers to Heat 'Makes Sense,' NBA ... (Bleacher Report)

The Los Angeles Lakers have made all of the efforts to publicly back Russell Westbrook "It makes sense," an Eastern Conference executive said.

But it's hard to find a landing spot for him with that in mind. "It's hard to see him as anything but a backup for the Lakers," a Western Conference scout told Bucher. He has to play the only way he knows how unless he can miraculously learn to shoot." "It is not what he has left, it is how he will accept that he is not the player that he was," an Eastern Conference scout told Bucher. The Heat could deal Kyle Lowry and Duncan Robinson to make the money work, but surely they'd want more than just Westbrook in return unless they've stopped believing in both players. Butler and Bam Adebayo spend a fair amount of time on the ball, much like LeBron James.

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