Lakers fans will roll on the floor at Kendrick Perkins’ wild prediction

After being dragged along for weeks by the Brooklyn Nets, the Los Angeles Lakers finally received some clarity and were able to make a trade: flipping Talen Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson for Patrick Beverley.

This is the start of what fans hope is multiple moves as a Russell Westbrook trade now seems imminent. Not only are Beverley and Westbrook redundant together, but the two guys don’t like each other and the Lakers are better off without Russ as is.

The Athletic’s Jovan Buha confirmed these suspicions, saying that it is now more likely that Westbrook isn’t just traded, but is told to go home and not play John Wall style. We here at Lake Show Life have been saying it all offseason: the team is actively better if Westbrook doesn’t play, even if he is on the roster.

All that being said, there are still some Russell Westbrook believers that are willing to stick their necks out for him even after this trade by the Lakers. One of those believers is Westbrook’s former teammate, Kendrick Perkins, who had quite the wild prediction about Westbrook, Beverley, and the defense it will create.

Kendrick Perkins has more basketball talent in the tip of his fingernail than I have in my entire body (don’t underestimate me, though, I can hit some corner threes as the local rec club) so I have to think he is trolling here. There is no chance that anyone who watched Russell Westbrook last season can say with a straight face that Russell Westbrook is a good defender.

Perkins is either saying this simply to get a reaction or he did not watch the Lakers at all last season. He knows way too much about basketball to even suggest Westbrook is a good defender.

Russell Westbrook is athletic but literally cost the Lakers games with his defense.

There is no denying that Westbrook is one of the most athletic players to ever play the game but let’s not confuse athleticism with defensive ability here. Westbrook might have the physical tools to succeed on defense but he has never been the best decision-maker on that side of the floor.

Westbrook made defensive mistake after defensive mistake, often in key moments for the Lakers last season. He has a tendency to play hero ball on both the offensive and defensive side of the court and that has cost his team more times than we can count.

Westbrook truthers will point out the one game where it worked, the Raptors game in Toronto where he made a steal and hit a three, as evidence of why he is a good defender. One good play does not just erase all of the horrible plays throughout the season.

Lakers’ 2 massive Talen Horton-Tucker mistakes are now in the limelight

The Los Angeles Lakers have finally traded Talen Horton-Tucker and in doing so are highlighting the massive mistakes the team made with him.

If Westbrook was such a great defender, why would the team literally be more okay with him going home and not playing?