• Patrick Beverley thinks the Lakers should have started him and Russell Westbrook more
• He said a lineup with them, Austin Reaves, Anthony Davis, and LeBron James would’ve been effective
• Westbrook and Beverley were both traded before the Lakers made a Conference Finals run
Patrick Beverley has had many thoughts on his half-season stint with the Lakers last season. Even though the Lakers had tremendous success after trading him away, he has consistently claimed that the Lakers coaching staff couldn’t maximize what they had with him and Russell Westbrook. He has reiterated that by claiming both players should’ve been starters.
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“They should’ve started me, Austin [Reaves], [Russell Westbrook], [LeBron James], and [Anthony Davis]… All the beef about Russ, maybe none of that happens… It’s ways that you have to operate your team without over-managing it or over-coaching it. Sometimes you just have to put the dominoes out there.”
Beverley started 45 games for the Lakers last season, with the team winning 21 of those games. He averaged 6.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in 26.9 minutes per game.
Westbrook started just three games for the Lakers, being relegated to always starting off the bench even with injuries. All three games with Russ as the starter were losses for LA.
Did The Lakers Mismanage Russell Westbrook And Patrick Beverley?
There is an argument to be had around Westbrook’s mismanagement, but there’s nothing that Beverley did on the court that would imply he solidified his role as a starter. Dennis Schroder played a similar brand of defense and it was perfectly fine for the team. Schroder was also a more reliable scoring option than Russ given his off-ball scoring ability, so it was a no-brainer to start Schroder over both of them.
The lineup Bev described has only one shooter in Austin Reaves. That would be quite disastrous in the modern NBA’s stretch offense system. Teams punished the Lakers for a season and a half for not having players to stretch the floor, so it’s good that the Lakers played others who may not be as flashy on paper but could fit better on the court, like Troy Brown Jr. and Lonnie Walker IV.
The Lakers measurably improved after they were off the roster, so constantly dissecting how the team did Westbrook and Beverley dirty when they were below .500 with them is unnecessary.
Both Players In Great New Situations
Starter dreams are better lost for Beverley, as he has joined the Philadelphia 76ers who already have their backcourt. James Harden may not want to be there but it seems he will be there at the start of the season, with Tyrese Maxey getting ready to take the baton from Harden.
Beverley will likely back both of them up and get starting opportunities when one of them is hurt. Given both Harden and Maxey are offensive guards, Beverley’s defense could provide some versatility for Nick Nurse who traditionally favors guards like Beverley in his systems. His lack of scoring can be addressed with the players around him.
Westbrook will still be on the Clippers this season and is expected to be their starter. After averaging 23.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 7.4 assists in the playoffs, fans are excited to see if he can carry this form onto the season.
With Harden wanting to join the Clippers via trade, it’ll be interesting to see how the Clippers adjust to the former teammates on the same squad again.
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