Locker Room Heat May Happen As Patrick Beverley Joins Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers continue to try and figure things out as they place key pieces for the 2022-23 NBA season.

NBA veteran guard Patrick Beverley was acquired via trade most recently, a move that addresses the lack of playmaking that the Lakers had been experiencing the past seasons.

Moreover, it initially appeared that the move was to provide Russell Westbrook with an able backup.

Hence, that suggested that the Lakers were going to start Westbrook at point guard.

But based on a report from Joven Buha of The Athletic, there is a chance that the 2017 NBA Most Valuable Player could instead be on his way out, either via a trade or being simply sent away from the team.

While the suggestion of trade is hardly surprising, the part of being sent away from the team appears to be broad.

However, Buha claimed that this could be somewhat similar to what John Wall went through with the Houston Rockets.

This scenario is something that may surprise pundits, especially considering it was a possibility that was never brought up.

If this does happen, the nine-time All-Star would end up sitting out the coming NBA season and still get paid.

For the record, Westbrook is due $47 million for the coming season. That is big money that may go to waste if the Lakers do end up deciding to force the 6-foot-3 guard to the sidelines.

However, such a scenario would also affirm that the relationship between Westbrook and the Lakers has severely been strained.

Beverley's Arrival also raises an interesting question about the dynamic in the locker room because of the heightened tensions between Westbrook and the ever-vocal defender.

Westbrook himself has surely not forgotten about the meniscus tear in his knee that Beverley caused back in 2013.

It remains to be seen if this is a path that the franchise would seriously execute.

A trade remains to be the viable option for the Lakers.

Buddy Hield and Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers have been previously mentioned as targets.

With Kyrie Irving off the table, there is a possibility that Los Angeles may push for this deal.

But pundits question the Lakers' stance on adding future picks to sweeten the offer.

They were initially open to doing so if the exchange included Irving.

Other than that, management initially claimed that they would only consider giving up their picks if the exchange made sense.