Lakers News: Did Russell Westbrook Snub Patrick Beverley's Defensive Huddle Last Night?
Although Los Angeles Lakers point guard Patrick Beverley claims that he and new teammate Russell Westbrook are now best friends, there may be a little trouble in paradise after all. During last night's disappointing 118-113 defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena,
Early in the contest's second half, during a pause in play, Beverley tried to get his on-court teammates to huddle up. The 6'1" veteran guard did successfully rope in LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Lonnie Walker IV for a chat. Westbrook, however, seemed to ignore the request, even after Davis attempted to bring Westbrook in for a conversation.
In the video, Beverley first summons his compatriots for the huddle. He asks for Westbrook, who has not joined the fray. Davis then walks towards Westbrook, who high-fives Beverley's extended hand, and then stares straight ahead with Minnesota foul shots forthcoming, seemingly disregarding the huddle. The other four proceed without him.
Of course NBA Twitter picked this interaction apart, but this writer at least feels that this moment is being somewhat overblown. Granted, the former nine-time All-Star definitely was at the very least disengaged from his teammates in the moment (which to be fair is his default setting), but it was a meaningless exhibition game, and perhaps he just didn't want to extend his full effort.
The flip side of that argument is that Beverley is already in mid-season mode, trying to be a defensive leader on the floor, and if a key cog isn't involved at the point of attack, that disrupts the entire flow of the team's chemistry.
Head coach Darvin Ham played most of his regular rotation in the Timberwolves loss last night, but focused on a small-ball strategy that highlighted the team's big weakness, to its own detriment: a glut of little guards. L.A. lacks big perimeter help beyond All-NBA small/power forward LeBron James, and Minnesota was happy to exploit that last night. Trading Westbrook for defensive and/or shooting help along the wing or in the frontcourt could cure some of what ails Los Angeles.
Westbrook, who can't shoot, doesn't defend, and doesn't do much when he's off-ball, is paid like the superstar he used to be. Hierarchically, Ham and co. are still treating him as their de facto starting point guard. But Beverley is a better fit at the point, and it might behoove Los Angeles to add a taller player who can shoot as, you know, the starting shooting guard. Westbrook's ideal role now is as an energy reserve off the bench, should he choose to accept it.
