Patrick Beverley has become available for NBA teams to sign after ending his contract with Israeli club Hapoel Tel Aviv. Beverley is a longtime NBA veteran who is Playoff tested and could still provide solid two-way play for a franchise looking for leadership.
Beverley averaged 6.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in his last full NBA season last year, playing for both the Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks. While he’s not the version of himself we saw make All-Defense teams with the Los Angeles Clippers, the journeyman guard could provide the right push for a team this season.
Let’s take a look at three teams that should consider landing Beverley, and why the Los Angeles Lakers should stay away.
Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets were supposed to be tanking but have remained competitive despite trading away Dennis Schroder and Dorian Finney-Smith while buying out Ben Simmons to free up space. They retained Cam Johnson, but the young reserves are still proving to be competitive and have a 20-34 record this season, winning six of their last seven games.
The Nets won’t suddenly try to make a Playoff push but could resume soft tanking. They don’t have a proper point guard right now, so bringing in the 36-year-old Beverley as a veteran to help continue their development on the court and in their winning habits.
If the goal is to optimize their draft positioning, acquiring Beverley to be their starting point guard for the rest of the season could work. Beverley can have the most expansive role he can get if he makes a mid-season return, setting him up to attract contending teams in free agency.
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns were aiming to be a competitive squad but are languishing in No. 11 with a 26-28 record so far this season. They had a disappointing trade window, failing to acquire Jimmy Butler although they managed to make some rotational moves. They’re looking for all the help they can get after the All-Star break, and Beverley might be one of their best options.
There’s a clear hole in the backup guard spot, with Monte Morris not delivering in the minutes he’s receiving. Vasile Mijic isn’t the best fit for the Suns either, so acquiring a defense-first guard like Beverley to play as Tyus Jones’ alternate in the backcourt would make sense.
It gives the Suns more versatility in their lineup provided Beverley is still a positive defender. His shot can be inconsistent, but the Suns already have offensive titans on their roster to cover off that bit. Beverley could be a nice bench addition by giving you 10-15 minutes every night and his firecracker spirit could be what they need in the locker room amidst a disappointing season.
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers have had a tragic year, going 20-34 so far this season. The team is in legitimate danger of missing the Playoffs and not having a pick to show for it, with their selection going to the OKC Thunder if it doesn’t fall in the top six. The 76ers’ odds are for the seventh pick right now, so they would want to get a handle on their situation.
Beverley has played for Daryl Morey before in two different stints, although the 76ers did trade him mid-season last year. But with Kyle Lowry becoming virtually unplayable, Beverley could be a solid backup option alongside Jared Butler for the backup guard spot in Philadelphia.
Butler is also a defense-first guard but Beverley is a more veteran option who could prove more useful in a Play-In setting. With Maxey recently picking up an injury, it might be better to have both Beverley and Butler as their guard rotation instead of continuing to deploy Lowry at this point.
The Lakers Should Stay Away
While we mentioned the three teams Beverley could be a useful asset for, we want to issue a warning to a former franchise he played for. The Lakers won’t have a use for Beverley and shouldn’t be tempted by his veteran instincts and familiarity with the franchise. There is a potential guard role to be filled on the Lakers’ bench, but Beverley isn’t that option.
The team is already full of one-way defensive players on their bench including Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent, and more. Even ten-day signing Jordan Goodwin is primarily a defender, although he’s had some solid games for the franchise. If there is a need for another backup guard, the Lakers would be much better off signing Goodwin full-time instead of going to Beverley.
Even if Goodwin winds up being a bad fit outside two outlier performances, the Lakers could look at a more dynamic option like Dennis Smith Jr. if required. Regardless, Beverley’s defensive skills or hard-to-like personality are not what they need right now.
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