Patrick Beverley is the newest member of the Los Angeles Lakers and will hope to continue his streak of making the playoffs his entire career alive on a team with LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook. In any other year, this sounds like a superteam but the Lakers failed to make the 2022 Playoffs with this core of talent.
Both AD and LeBron won a championship for the Lakers not too long ago so they know what it takes to win games in the West. However, shoddy injury histories for both the players have hurt their chances of winning. The Lakers traded away a lot of roster depth for Russell Westbrook last season and just traded 2 rotational players to acquire Beverley from the Utah Jazz.
PatBev was unveiled to the media in a press conference today, and it was a memorable one. When a journalist asked him if he was excited to play alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Beverley had a response only he’d have the guts to say, as he openly said they should be excited because Beverley led a team to the playoffs last season while they missed it.
Reporter: "You'll be playing with LeBron James and Anthony Davis."
Patrick Beverley: "They're gonna be playing with me. I made the playoffs last year, they didn't. It's a difference." 💀
(via @SpectrumSN)pic.twitter.com/tDuSYUfXJK
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 6, 2022
Will Patrick Beverley Be The Difference Maker For The Lakers?
Beverley averaged 9.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 4.6 assists last season. These numbers don’t make him look incredibly impactful, but he has never been someone who will stuff the box score. Beverley’s value comes with the hustle and energy he brings to the court, which would be an interesting pairing to have next to Russell Westbrook in the backcourt.
If he can keep the players motivated and hold them accountable on the defensive end, an improvement by the Lakers should be natural. Whether he will be able to impact the game on the court to stretch the floor or take the toughest defensive challenges is something we will have to see as the season plays out.
