On a recent episode of the “Dan Le Batard Show,” Amin Elhassan spoke about the Lakers’ acquisition of Patrick Beverley. He expressed some concern about the potential for Beverley and his well-established nemesis Russell Westbrook to work out their differences, but he also provided a bit of optimism:
“This goes one of two ways: Either someone’s got to go, or they actually become really good friends.”
Elhassan went on to say that there have been plenty of examples in the NBA where players that don’t like each other wind up settling their issues when they wind up on the same team and have had a chance to better understand each other’s perspectives. The crew looked back on the Westbrook knee injury that led to the feud between him and Beverley in the first place, but they also mentioned LeBron James and how he likely wouldn’t have been on board with the trade if he didn’t think the Lakers could make it work.
You can view the full episode here:
The Lakers were among the favorites to win the 2022 NBA Championship, but a combination of factors led to them actually missing the playoffs a season ago. Expectations are far lower for the upcoming season, as they’re just +800 to win the Pacific Division, putting them fourth behind the Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers. The Beverley trade doesn’t appear to have moved the needle too much, but oddsmakers do expect the Lakers to return to the NBA Playoffs with a line currently set at -265. They’re also eighth in the 2023 NBA Championship odds at +1800.
You can find those NBA odds and more at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Full episodes of the “Dan Le Batard Show” can be found on YouTube and Apple Podcasts.
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