The NBA trade deadline has come and the Milwaukee Bucks made a couple of moves this afternoon, one of them bringing former Philadelphia 76er’s Patrick Beverley to the 414, and sending Cam Payne and a 2027 second-round pick to Philly.
Beverley reported the trade news himself on Thursday via his Pat Bev podcast. This deal lands Beverley with his longtime rival Damian Lillard, who seems to want to hash out the beef.
History Between Beverley and Milwaukee Bucks All-Star
This so-called ‘rivalry’ between Lillard and Beverley goes back to the 2020 NBA bubble when the two went back and forth during a game between the Trail Blazers and the Clippers. Beverley and his teammates were mocking Lillard’s famous “Dame Time” celebration, and Beverley is seen laughing at the point guard on the bench.
Pat Bev and Marcus Morris’ reactions to Dame missing potential game-winning free throws 😅 pic.twitter.com/keEaBCQn3t
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 8, 2020
This reportedly was just one of the many times the two were beefing things out. Lillard even made a comment after the game saying he’s sent Beverley home in the playoffs before. Beverley even mocked Dame’s celebration once again when he was a member of the Los Angeles Lakers.
The most recent incident between these two occurred back in January of 2023, when Lillard was still a member of the Portland Trail Blazer and the two exchanged some words in the second quarter that led to Beverley getting a technical. But it spilled over into post-game when Lillard took to Twitter, calling Beverley a “con man”, after Bev commented on Lillard’s 5-of-17 shooting that night.
Con man. Flip from above the rim https://t.co/EpKvfyY3VG
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) January 23, 2023
All tumultuous and petty beef aside, Lillard and Beverley will now have to co-exist as teammates in Milwaukee. Both have acknowledged post trade that their beef is in the past along with both of them wanting to make an effort to make things right. Beverley said on his podcast on Thursday that he’s got to get his relationship right with Dame, as it’s time to win a championship.
“I gotta get my relationship right with Dame…It’s time to win a championship.”
– Pat Bev
(via @PatBevPod, h/t @WorldWideWob)
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 8, 2024
Lillard told NBA on TNT that while he’s sad to see Payne go, the past between him and Beverley won’t cause issues when it comes to wanting to win a championship.
“First, I want to say I’m sad to see Cam go. We developed a friendship that I cherish. As for Pat, he brings an edge and a defensive tenacity on the perimeter that we need. There are not many players who bring it on a nightly like him. I look forward to working together. Our past personal issues don’t trump an opportunity to win a championship.”
The Milwaukee Bucks are currently tied for third in the Eastern Conference, sitting at a record of 33-18. The team has a lot of competition left in the season, and any past beef isn’t going to be good for the team, which both Lillard and Beverley seem to be on the same page about. It’ll be interesting to see how these two play on a court together, now on the same team.
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