Yahoo Lifestyle Patrick Beverley downplays interruption of NBPA head Michele Roberts, compares it to family squabble
After an interruption of NBPA executive director Michele Roberts that fellow players warned was disrespectful, Los Angeles Clippers guard Patrick Beverley downplayed the exchange with reporters on Friday.
The interruption in question occurred during a contentious meeting among players on Wednesday night, as reported by Yahoo Sports senior NBA insider Chris Haynes. During the meeting, the group argued on how to proceed after the Milwaukee Bucks’ walkout in protest of the shooting of Jacob Blake had triggered a sudden pause of the NBA playoffs in Orlando.
As players discussed shutting down for the season, Roberts was interrupted by Beverley, who seemed to take exception to her delving into the financial ramifications of the idea:
Michele Roberts, the executive director of the players’ union, asked to have the floor to speak about the financial ramifications of leaving Orlando.
While she was going over the numbers, Clippers guard Patrick Beverley abruptly interrupted her, saying he disagreed with her logic, sources said. Roberts kindly reiterated that these were potential losses the players would suffer, and Beverley interrupted again.
Roberts asked politely if she could continue with her point, and Beverley responded, “No, I pay your salary,” sources said.
This caused an uproar with Paul, Haslem and others, who intervened and told Beverley that disrespect would not be tolerated, sources said.
Chris Paul and Udonis Haslem weren’t the only ones to find Beverley’s conduct disrespectful, as several fans called out the veteran on social media in response to the report. However, Clippers center Ivica Zubac later claimed Beverley never said such a thing.
A day after the report was published, Beverley did not deny a conversation with Roberts took place when asked by reporters. However, he downplayed the seriousness of the argument, comparing the situation to a dispute between family members and saying he had already resolved things with Roberts.
"The PA is like a family...you don’t always agree with your family members and that’s okay...we made things better yesterday."
Patrick Beverley on his conversation with Michele Roberts
(via @MarkG_Medina) pic.twitter.com/TOc7EkoK3C— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) August 28, 2020
Beverley’s response:
“We had a very interesting conversation. The PA is like a family. I’m pretty sure everyone here and all the cameras pointing to me, everyone is part of the family. You don’t always agree with your family members, and that’s OK. You communicate about it and you try to make it better. Whatever the dialogue was or whatever you guys think it is, we made things better yesterday, meeting with the owners, and that’s the most important thing.”
A report from Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks backed up Beverley’s claim that he made things better with Roberts on Thursday, with the matter reported to have “been completely resolved.”
Still dealing with a calf injury, Beverley has appeared in just one game for the Clippers since Aug. 4.
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