Patrick Beverley on Monday used the ESPN platform to shred Chris Paul, one day after the star guard's Phoenix Suns were bounced from the 2022 NBA playoffs in embarrassing fashion.
Later on the same day, on the same network, Beverley was taken to task for those remarks.
Former NBA forward Matt Barnes felt inclined to enter the fray after the Minnesota Timberwolves guard made claims about Paul's reputation in the league as well as the 37-year-old's defensive capabilities.
"As reporters and part of the media, we have a job to be critical," Barnes said. "But I think there's a thin line between being critical and disrespectful and I feel like what Pat Beverley did today to Chris Paul was completely disrespectful and out of the line. Pat Beverley's talking like he's that guy. You're not that guy, plain and simple. Chris Paul played terrible this series and his numbers are still better than your career numbers have ever been.
"I just think you have to understand Chris is a 12-time All-Star, All-Defense nine times, seven times first-team All-Defense. He'll be a Hall of Famer. Pat Bev and I were similar-type role players. They don't talk about us when we go. They're gonna talk about CP3 when he's done. I just think the disrespect we saw earlier today on ESPN needs to be checked because it was way out of pocket."
Barnes wasn't the only player in the NBA community who was perturbed by Beverley coming after Paul. Damian Lillard used Twitter to call out Beverley for his "weird behavior."
