After the Los Angeles Lakers traded Talen Horton-Tucker to the Utah Jazz for Patrick Beverley, the NBA Twitterverse went nuts for one important tidbit: Pat Bev is going to be playing alongside Russell Westbrook.
For those not in the know, Beverley and Westbrook had a longstanding beef that has spanned decades now. It started when Beverley played a role in Russ' injury–a torn meniscus in his right knee–in 2013 that needed surgery. Ever since then, the two have traded jabs whenever they get the opportunity to do so.
Remember in 2019 when Westbrook said that Beverley fooled everyone to think that he's playing defense? This past season, Beverley got back at Westbrook for that amid the All-Star guard's struggles with the Lakers, and he didn't stop there when the Purple and Gold missed the postseason.
I remember when somebody said all I do is run around and I trick y’all 😂 well my boy is The Real Magician this year.
— Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) February 10, 2022
Playoffs every year. 2 western conference finals with 2 different Teams👀👀👀 individual stats or team stats? I thought it was a team sport?? https://t.co/wlPhFB9alQ
— Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) March 17, 2022
Of course, NBA Twitter had a field day poking fun at the fact that the two are going to be teammates–at least for now. Veteran commentator Skip Bayless was among the first ones to share their reactions to the news, noting that the show is going to be better than the WWE.
PatBev to the Lakers? The bad blood between him and Westbrook dates back a decade. And now he'll take some of Westbrook's minutes? This is better than WWE. It's now "SideShowtime."
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) August 25, 2022
Several others echoed the same sentiment, with some even joking that the two are going to fight once training camp starts.
lakers fans realizing they need to root for pat bev now pic.twitter.com/lFoVYU7YaI
— Isaac K. Lee (@IsaacKLee) August 25, 2022
82 GAMES OF PAT BEV AND WESTBROOK https://t.co/lKcQa0AA1r
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) August 25, 2022
Pat Bev and Westbrook at Lakers training camp pic.twitter.com/Z4qxRH5Lia
— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) August 25, 2022
Westbrook seeing the Pat Bev news pic.twitter.com/RCWZCBo6S0
— Jasmine (@JasmineLWatkins) August 25, 2022
Of course it's not all about Patrick Beverley and Russell Westbrook. The fact that the Lakers only got Pat Bev for Talen Horton-Tucker, who was once considered their most prized young asset, was also largely mocked online. After all, the Purple and Gold once refused to trade THT to the Toronto Raptors in order to land Kyle Lowry, only to settle for Beverley in the end.
THT went from a “centerpiece for a star trade” to getting dealt for Pat Bev 💀💀💀💀
— BlamesDolan (@blamesdolan_) August 25, 2022
It will definitely be interesting to see Beverley join the Lakers though, especially if the team ends up keeping Westbrook. Can old enemies with hostility towards each other really become teammates and play well? We're about to find out.
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