Patrick Beverley Cleverly Teases Truce With Damian Lillard After Trade to Bucks
Veteran guard Patrick Beverley was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday afternoon for a package that included guard Cam Payne and a second-round pick heading back to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Amid the trade, Beverley posted a video to his podcast’s X account where he declared that he needed to mend fences with longtime rival and new teammate, Damian Lillard.
“I gotta get my relationship right with Dame…It’s time to win a championship,” Beverley said with a laugh.
Lillard is on board with making peace with his new teammate in pursuit of a championship as well.
“He brings an edge and a defensive tenacity that we need,” Lillard told Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report. “There are not many players who bright it on a nightly [basis] like him. I look forward to working together. Our past personal issues don’t trump an opportunity to win a championship.
The feud between Beverley and Lillard dates back to the NBA Bubble in 2020, where Beverley mocked Lillard’s “Dame Time” celebration from the bench after Lillard missed potential game-winning free throws.
Beverley has leaned into the villain role when competing against Lillard ever since. Here’s a clip from January of 2023 when Beverley was playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, when he once again mocked the patented celebration of Lillard.
The rivalry between the two will have to be put aside, as the Bucks look to improve their team defense for a stretch run toward the postseason. Beverley will certainly be a significant piece to Milwaukee’s puzzle as the franchise pursues a championship.
