The Lakers already appear to have chemistry issues with Russell Westbrook.
During a 118-113 preseason loss to the Timberwolves on Wednesday, NBA Twitter was quick to call out red flags with Westbrook and his teammates on a number of occasions.
The Lakers point guard appeared to skip out on a team huddle prior to the exhibition game at Crypto.com Arena, before seemingly ignoring Patrick Beverley in the third quarter.
Prior to the start of the game, Westbrook was seen by the bench wiping his face with a towel before walking onto the court, while the rest of the team huddled by the free throw line, high-fiving in their warmups.
Another awkward moment occurred in the second half between Westbrook and Beverley with the Lakers down five points.
After a foul on Westbrook, Beverley was seen rallying his teammates together, including the guard, LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Lonnie Walker IV. Westbrook, however, kept his distance on the court and only appeared to join the group after Davis pulled him over.
The moment was analyzed by critics on Twitter as Westbrook and Beverley have a history of bad blood. The players apparently squashed their beef when the Lakers acquired Beverley in August.
Lakers point guard Russell Westbrook during a preseason game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Oct. 12, 2022 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Ca. NBAE via Getty ImagesDuring the Lakers’ media day last month, Beverley said that Westbrook has been his “best friend” since he was traded to the team.
Jake Paul even weighed in on the situation, tweeting that the Lakers “need to pull the plug and trade Russell Westbrook for their sake and for The Brodie’s sake.
“He’s a star and needs his own team. Lakers need less stars and more Pat Bev’s,” Paul tweeted.
Other videos throughout Wednesday’s exhibition game show Westbrook all smiles while engaging with James and other teammates — nonetheless, NBA Twitter was relentless about Westbrook’s fit with Los Angeles.
Westbrook has been a target of criticism following summer-long trade rumors that stemmed from his poor performance last season.
Beverley’s arrival also raised questions about Westbrook’s role in the backcourt. The Lakers also signed Dennis Schröder, which added to curiosity about how coach Darvin Ham will handle rotations.
Lakers guard Patrick Beverly during a preseason game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Oct. 12, 2022 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Ca. NBAE via Getty ImagesThe Lakers open their regular season Oct. 18 against the Warriors.
