‘We’ll Have Our Tough Conversations’: Patrick Beverley On Playing With Russell Westbrook

After beefing with Russell Westbrook for years, Patrick Beverley is ready to bury the hatchet. In fact it seems he already has, after greeting Westbrook with a hug on Tuesday and saying nothing but nice things about his new teammate during his introductory press conference.

“Super excited,” Beverley said when asked about becoming Westbrook’s teammate. “I was asked this question two or three years ago about someone I always wanted to play with, and he was the first name. Just a player with that competitive spirit, that fire, that will, that dog… that nastiness, that grit, you know. To have a running mate like that, I’ve never had that, so I’m super excited.

READ MORE: A Brief History of the Russell Westbrook-Patrick Beverley Beef

“Like any relationship or any marriage, we’ll have our tough conversations, that’s what comes with winning. But I’m excited about those conversations, I’m excited about the practices and I’m just excited to be able to compete with someone like that.”

Beverley was also asked about his fit with Westbrook on the court.

“Actually I think it’s perfect,” he said. “I shoot a ton out on the right corner wing, he posts on the left wing. Out of timeouts he likes to post on the right wing, I shoot 50 percent from the left corner three, I mean it works. To have another ball handler out there with me and obviously with LeBron also, I think the more ball handlers the better your team is.”

Beverley and Westbrook will hit the floor for the first time when the Lakers begin their preseason against the Sacramento Kings at home on October 3.

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