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‘Can’t wait for him to go off this season!!’: LeBron James and Patrick Beverley back Russell Westbrook to have a bounce-back season as the Lakers’ new guard looks to bury the hatchet with his old bitter rival
- The LA Lakers acquired Patrick Beverley from the Utah Jazz on Wednesday
- Utah get guard Talen Horton-Tucker and forward Stanley Johnson in return
- The guard has previously expressed his desire to play alongside LeBron James
- Beverley has a long, troubled history with new teammate Russell Westbrook
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LeBron James and shockingly, Patrick Beverley, have rallied around perpetually embattled teammate Russell Westbrook as social media piled on following the Lakers’ addition of his nemesis.
NBA fans took to social media suggesting the trade to bring Beverley to LA would bring an end to Westbrook’s time in Tinseltown, given their previous bad blood.
Late Wednesday night, the Lakers traded for the defensive stalwart, in return sending Talen Horton-Tucker and forward Stanley Johnson to Utah.
LeBron James (right) and Patrick Beverley supported Lakers teammate Russell Westbrook (left)
But NBA podcaster Cuffs the Legend slammed the disrespect Westbrook receives, tweeting: ‘the Westbrook disrespect and vitriol is still corny regardless of how you feel about last season.’
James responded to the Tweet, saying: ‘Can’t wait for him to go off this season,’ with a shush emoji.
Naturally, referring to the former UCLA product silencing his long list of critics and doubters.
James responded to a Tweet about Westbrook, saying: ‘Can’t wait for him to go off this season’
Westbrook and Beverley (right) have been at odds with each other since the 2013 playoffs
From there, in a surprise to many, Beverley added his support, replying ‘Same it’s on’, followed by a gorilla emoji.
Westbrook and Beverley have had a litany of battles on and off the court, including the latter calling Westbrook ‘trash’ during a game in March of this year.
Beverley has made an appearance in the NBA’s all-defensive team and two on its second team in his career and has made a healthy living from his dogged mindset.
Though Westbrook wasn’t so sure during late 2019. Following a November win over Beverley’s LA Clippers — while with the Rockets — he rubbished the Chicagoan’s skill set.
New LA addition Beverley added his support, replying ‘Same it’s on’, followed by a gorilla emoji
Westbrook had a less than impressive debut season in LA as the Lakers missed the playoffs
‘Pat Bev trick y’all, man, like he plays defense,’ he told Houston reporters.
‘He don’t guard nobody, man. It’s just running around, doing nothing.’
Beverley brought the criticism back to the fore earlier this season — over two years later — amidst Westbrook’s disastrous first season in LA.
Taking to Twitter in March, Beverley remarked: ‘I remember when somebody said all I do is run around and I trick y’all.
‘Well my boy is The Real Magician [sic] this year.’
Beverley will now play for the crosstown rivals of his former team, the Los Angeles Clippers
The feud dates all the way back to the 2013 playoffs after a collision with Beverley caused Westbrook a season-ending knee injury.
At that moment, Westbrook’s Oklahoma City were the first seed in the Western Conference.
Following the debilitating injury to their star guard Oklahoma faltered, losing to Memphis in five games in the Conference semi finals.
The newest trident will hope to bring the Lakers greater success than last season where they failed to make the playoffs with a paltry 33-49 record.