Patrick Beverley Says Russell Westbrook Told Him He Wants Ring If Lakers Win Title

Russell Westbrook and Patrick Beverley each started the 2022-23 season on the Los Angeles Lakers, and they want their championship rings if the Purple and Gold take home the title in the playoffs.

During an appearance on the Pat Bev Podcast with Rone (10:18 mark), Beverley said he ran into his former teammate in the gym. That is when Westbrook told him, "Hey Pat, Lakers win I want my ring."

Beverley said he agreed with Westbrook and also wants a championship ring.

Westbrook played 52 games with the Lakers this season before they traded him to the Utah Jazz. He never played for Utah and joined the Los Angeles Clippers after agreeing to a buyout with the Jazz.

Beverley played 45 games for the Lakers before they traded him to the Orlando Magic. Like Westbrook with Utah, he agreed to a buyout without playing for Orlando and then signed with the Chicago Bulls.

The moves were part of a dramatic roster shakeup for the Lakers that included bringing in D'Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley. The team has far more effective depth at this point and is starting to look like a championship contender with a 1-0 lead over the Golden State Warriors in the second round.

Los Angeles already eliminated the second-seeded Memphis Grizzlies in the first round.

It is quite the turnaround for the franchise after a 2-10 start that made even qualifying for the playoffs seem like a long shot. Part of the problem was Westbrook being a less-than-ideal fit alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis because of his poor outside shooting and the need to have the ball in his hands to be an effective playmaker.

While the two guards were members of the Lakers for more than half the season, it would feel somewhat hollow if they each received their first championship ring in this fashion.

That is especially the case for Westbrook, who is an all-time great with a spot on the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team. Championships remain one way the best players in the sport's history are compared to each other, and Westbrook getting one for a team he didn't even suit up for in the playoffs wouldn't have the same meaning.

Still, he was part of the team for some time and clearly wants the ring more than he is concerned about any narrative-fueled pushback to receiving it.