Russell Westbrook attends Patrick Beverley’s introductory press conference with Lakers

The Lakers’ LeBron James typically hosts a players-only minicamp somewhere on the West Coast before training camp starts, so stay tuned. Word is that another Lakers minicamp is likely in coming days and that Russell Westbrook would indeed attend if it comes together. Any sort of pre-camp gathering involving LeBron and his fellow purple-and-gold vets would represent a key step in the Lakers’ efforts to move past all the tension that bubbled throughout last season’s rocky 33-49 campaign, bringing James and Anthony Davis together with Westbrook and the newly acquired Patrick Beverley before the Lakers report for their first practices under new coach Darvin Ham on Sept. 26. -via marcstein.substack.com / September 5, 2022

Michael Scotto: It seems like the best trade the Lakers can make if they want to move Russell Westbrook and try to win this season is with Indiana for Myles Turner and Buddy Hield. One note that’s interesting is before the Lakers traded Talen Horton-Tucker to Utah in the Patrick Beverley trade, the Pacers were trying to get Horton-Tucker, I’m told. Essentially, Indiana was hoping to get Westbrook’s expiring contract, the Lakers’ two first-round picks in 2027 and 2029, along with Horton-Tucker for Turner, Hield and they wanted to make LA take Daniel Theis, who has some years looking ahead on his contract. Theis is more of a fit on a playoff-caliber team as we saw with the Celtics previously. The Lakers weren’t trying to essentially part with THT for Theis in that expanded trade package discussion after already having reservations about moving two first-round picks to get off Westbrook’s contract. In talking with people around the league, anybody that’s taking on Westbrook wants both of those first-round picks. -via HoopsHype / August 31, 2022

The 34-year-old recently took to Twitter to express his true feelings about the media magnetism in Hollywood. A recent report about Beverley already being in contact with Lakers star Russell Westbrook since the former’s arrival has been making rounds, and it seems that Pat Bev is a bit amused about how something so seemingly trivial gets blown out of proportion in Lala Land: “So I’m guessing this how it works in LA. Something all the time huh 🤔 We Excited and We hungry. Watch us Work 🦍🍿” Beverley wrote in his tweet.  -via Clutch Points / August 31, 2022

In the wake of further reporting on Westbrook in my previous This Week In Basketball compendium, two well-placed sources have expressed to me with even greater conviction that the Lakers lean very strongly against the concept of sending Westbrook home a la John Wall in Houston last season in the event that they can’t find a trade for him. Sources maintain that Ham is determined to establish a real role for Westbrook if he remains a Laker. -via marcstein.substack.com / September 5, 2022

Jeff Zilgitt: There will be some chatter about a Westbrook/first-rounder for Conley, but Conley’s deal is through 2023-24, albeit partially guaranteed. Clarkson has player option for 2023-24. -via Twitter @JeffZillgitt / September 2, 2022