Patrick Beverley, Russell Westbrook Have Incentive to Root for Lakers to Win NBA Title
Russell Westbrook and Patrick Beverley’s tenures with the Lakers may have ended in less-than-harmonious manners. But they’ll be pulling for the purple and gold for the rest of these NBA playoffs.
Why would they do that? For one simple reason: They want their rings.
Beverley confirmed as much on is podcast, Pat Bev Podcast With Rone, when he recounted running into Westbrook at the gym this week. He said both he and Westbrook expect to be included when the time comes to order championship rings if the Lakers are able to continue their postseason run and win another NBA title.
“’Hey Pat, Lakers win, I want my ring,’” Beverley said. “I ain’t gonna lie, Russ, we gonna be suited and booted, boy, I’m gonna be right there waiting on that ring.”
Both Westbrook and Beverley began the season with the Lakers, but were traded away at the deadline. Beverley played 45 games with Los Angeles while Westbrook played 52. The league has no rules regulating how teams determine whether or not players traded away during championship seasons get rings, so each team would be left to decide on its own.
Beverley said that neither he nor Westbrook would have any hesitation in accepting their rings if the Lakers did end up winning it all.
“If they win, you call me whatever the f--- you wanna call me, I’m gonna get that ring … Do I think Westbrook gonna accept the ring? Hell yeah, he ain’t gonna say no to it”
Source: Sports Illustrated
