SOURCE SPORTS: Lakers Owner Jeanie Buss Calls Russell Westbrook the Team’s Most ‘Consistent’ Player Last Year

Russell Westbrook Said "He Was Disappointed" That He Was Benched In Latest Lakers Loss

The Los Angeles Lakers are seemingly heading into another season with Russell Westbrook. Ahead of training camp, Lakers owner Jeanie Buss spoke with The Athletic and said Westbrook was the “best player” on the team last year but would reverse the claim.

Westbrook’s 2021-22 campaign wasn’t the most glamorous for the superstar, but Buss held him down in conversation with Sam Amick. After calling him the best player, Buss responded to a follow-up note, in which she instead cited him as the most “consistent.”

The word I should have used was ‘consistent,’” Buss shared via text. “He played 78 games last season.”

Availability was indeed Westbrook’s best ability, and he averaged 18.5 points and 7.1 assists. If he remains with the Lakers, Westbrook will be teammates with who many would consider his archnemesis in Patrick Beverley.

In the late hours of last Wednesday night, ESPN reported the Los Angeles Lakers would acquire guard Patrick Beverley from the Utah Jazz. The Lakers will send Talen Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson to the Jazz.

Beverly is no stranger to playing in Los Angeles, having a stint with the Clippers from 2017 to 2021. This past season he played with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Early Thursday morning, Beverly hit Twitter to express his joy in going back to L.A.

Beverly is expected to help anchor a stingy Lakers defense under new head coach Darvin Ham.

Fans online immediately wondered how Patrick Beverly would align next to Russell Westbrook as the two have not been the fondest of each other over the years.

The post SOURCE SPORTS: Lakers Owner Jeanie Buss Calls Russell Westbrook the Team’s Most ‘Consistent’ Player Last Year appeared first on The Source.

SOURCE SPORTS: Patrick Beverly to Join Lakers in Trade From Utah Jazz

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In the late hours of Wednesday night, ESPN reported the Los Angeles Lakers would acquire guard Patrick Beverley from the Utah Jazz. The Lakers will send Talen Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson to the Jazz.

Beverly is no stranger to playing in Los Angeles, having a stint with the Clippers from 2017 to 2021. This past season he played with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Early Thursday morning, Beverly hit Twitter to express his joy in going back to L.A.

Beverly is expected to help anchor a stingy Lakers defense under new head coach Darvin Ham.

Fans online immediately wondered how Patrick Beverly would align next to Russell Westbrook as the two have not been the fondest of each other over the years.

The post SOURCE SPORTS: Patrick Beverly to Join Lakers in Trade From Utah Jazz appeared first on The Source.

J. Cole Works Out With The Lakers’ Talen Horton-Tucker After Completing His BAL Contract

Although J. Cole’s basketball career is effectively over — for the time being, at least — that doesn’t mean he isn’t staying ready should he be bitten by the competition bug again. Legendary trainer Phil Handy (who goes by @94feetofgame on Twitter) posted evidence of the rapper turned hooper’s commitment to the grind, a video showing off one of the workouts Handy is putting him through alongside one of the trainer’s more successful clients, Lakers player Talen Horton-Tucker, who will begin his third season in October.

The #passion is real, the #work is real, the love for the #game is real and @JColeNC is a real student of the game,” Handy wrote. “Pulled up for a couple of days and got some work in with @Thortontucker … got out of his comfort zone and got better.”

Cole has been open about his basketball dreams since early in his career, using basketball imagery throughout his album artwork and promotions. In 2020, that interest kicked into high gear with the release of Cole’s basketball shoes with Puma. Then, ahead of his most recent album The Off-Season, he announced that he’d be joining the Rwanda Patriots of the newly formed Basketball Africa League. After three games, he completed the terms of his contract and returned home to the US, but that doesn’t mean he’s completely done playing just yet.

Watch the video of J. Cole’s workout with the Lakers’ Talen Horton-Tucker above.