Getty Patrick Beverley, Los Angeles Lakers
Considering the difficult times the Los Angeles Lakers are currently working through, you would assume all of their players would be focusing their energy on turning their season around.
However, that hasn’t stopped Patrick Beverley from firing some shots in Chris Paul’s direction during a recent appearance on Kevin Hart’s Cold As Balls podcast, noting how the LA Clippers only made the NBA Finals once he joined the squad.
“Chris Paul was on the Clippers…Then he left, and I came on the Clippers. The Clippers went to the Western Conference Finals the only time. They didn’t go there with Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and the Lob City. They went there with me,” Beverley said.
Beverley spent four seasons with the Clippers, participating in 177 regular-season games, averaging 8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game while shooting 39.5% from deep and 44.9% from two-point range. Unfortunately for Beverley, he’s struggling to make a similar impact during his first season with the Lakers as they continue to struggle on a game-to-game basis.
LeBron James Is Growing Frustrated With Lakers Situation
While Beverley might believe that his presence on the Clippers roster led to their deep playoff run, it’s becoming clear that he won’t be able to say the same thing about his time with the Lakers, as they currently sit 13th in the Western Conference.
It would appear that LeBron James is also growing frustrated with the purple and gold’s current plight, as the risk of missing the post-season for the second straight year is becoming more realistic by the day. When speaking to the media following the Lakers’ 112-98 defeat to the Miami Heat, LeBron shared how he doesn’t envision playing out the last few years of his career for a team that doesn’t have the talent to contend for a championship.
“I’m a winner and I want to win. And I want to win and give myself a chance to win and still compete for championships. That has always been my passion, that has always been my goal since I entered the league as an 18-year-old kid out of Akron, Ohio…I don’t wanna finish my career playing at this level from a team aspect. I still want to compete for championships. I know what I can bring to any ball club with the right pieces,” LeBron said.
LeBron has participated in 27 games for the Lakers so far this season, averaging 27.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game while shooting 49.8% from the field. However, despite the aging superstar’s performances, the Lakers have been unable to find any rhythm.
Lakers Urged To Trade LeBron James
According to Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times, now is the perfect time for the Lakers to begin exploring their options in regards to moving on from LeBron in the summer, as it’s becoming increasingly clear that his tenure with the team is coming to a conclusion.
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“They’re not dumping a legend, they’re simply abiding by his request, which changes the scenario completely. Seriously, how much longer can they believe that James is still capable of leading a young core into the playoffs? When are they finally going to admit that James is a wasted talent without contributions from Davis, and when are they going to realize Davis might never be a consistent star again,” Plaschke wrote.
Assuming the Lakers don’t make the post-season, and LeBron heads to new pastures in the summer, it will be interesting to see if Beverley changes his tune in regards to his impact on a team or if he stands by his role in the Clippers, making a run at a championship after Paul had left the team.