While it looks like the Lakers are going to miss out on Kyrie Irving, Rob Pelinka didn’t waste time licking his wounds.
Instead, he got right to work finding alternative options — and Patrick Beverley ended up being the answer.
The defensive juggernaut will officially become a Laker now, and countless fans and experts online have already broken down what it could mean for the league.
On Twitter, Magic Johnson reacted to the news, even admitting that he used to hate the rowdy veteran guard before he joined the team.
I used to hate Patrick Beverly when he played against my Lakers lol but now I love him because he’s on our team and he’s going to help my Lakers get to the playoffs!
I used to hate Patrick Beverly when he played against my Lakers lol but now I love him because he's on our team and he's going to help my Lakers get to the playoffs!
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) August 25, 2022
Bev is hardly the name Lakers fans were hoping for, but he is still a notable acquisition, given his talents on the defensive side of the ball. For a team like the Lakers, who are at their best with a strong defense, Beverley could really help them re-discover their identity.
As for Pat himself, he seems excited about the journey ahead.
Learning from their mistakes, the Lakers decided to sign young and energetic role players this season. Another mistake that the team made last season was giving up on defense oftentimes. This led to opposing teams making stunning comebacks against the Lakers during the second half of many games.
To fix this flaw, the Lakers have recently acquired Patrick Beverley via trade from the Utah Jazz. Beverley is well-known around the league for his defensive prowess and ability to lead the team on the defensive end of the floor.
After finding out that he had been traded to the Lakers, the 34-year-old couldn’t contain his excitement and revealed it through a tweet.
“Woke up a Laker!!! Its On!!!”
It remains to be seen how this Lakers group will perform this upcoming season. With Westbrook still in tow, it’s going to be a challenge to get everybody playing well together.
But if everything falls the right way, it could be a redemption year for the Purple and Gold. At the very least, they are going to be fighting extra hard to make up for all the disappointments of the last campaign.
