Patrick Beverley has opened up on the brotherly advice LeBron James gave him before he moved to the Chicago Bulls - and has warned his former team-mates he plans to ruin their Playoff hopes.
Beverley signed with his hometown Bulls after being traded away by the Los Angeles Lakers, where he was shipped to the Orlando Magic and ultimately released.
Beverley was seen as a key addition to the Lakers this off-season, bringing much-needed defence to their backcourt as he played alongside his bitter rival Russell Westbrook.
But after a horrific first half of the season with the Lakers having one of the worst records in the NBA, the front office made a move, trading away both Beverley and Westbrook, along with Thomas Bryant and draft picks to bring in D'Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Rui Hachimura and Mo Bamba in a move that is already paying dividends with the team now winning seven of their last 10 games.
If they are to make the playoffs though, they need to continue winning games and cannot afford any slip-ups - something that Beverley is keen to say happen. After being shipped away from the team, Beverley will now suit up against them in just a few weeks time when the Lakers play the Bulls in back-to-back games.
Speaking on his podcast when what Beverley wants to do when he faces his former team, he said: "[I want to] knock them out the playoffs." Beverley also indicated that he will be physical when he plays the Lakers as he said he'll give them 'a little elbow'.
These quotes just came one day after Beverley stated that he spoke to James on going to his hometown team, and calling him 'his big brother'.
Beverley said James gave him advice, as he added: "I asked him a lot of questions. 'How was it playing home?' The biggest thing he told me – prioritize your job, which is basketball, and have everything else come after that. I just try to do that since I've been back."
And the point guard also leapt to the defence of Westbrook, who was traded from the team the day before he had been. He said: "I don't like people trying to paint stigma's like you know how they did my man Russ, telling everyone he was a bad teammate. They tried to act like he was a bad team-mate? Nah. Westbrook will love it at the Clippers, I text him and he text me right back."
The Bulls are also looking to make the playoffs themselves in what looks to be a lost year for the team, significantly struggling after recent impressive years with DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine.
For Westbrook and the Clippers, they have lost both of their games since the all-star break, with Westbrook being implemented as the starting point guard alongside Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
