Los Angeles Lakers set to land Patrick Beverley from Utah Jazz
The Los Angeles Lakers have finalized a trade to acquire Patrick Beverley from the Utah Jazz.
The deal will send Lakers guard Talen Horton-Tucker and forward Stanley Johnson to the Jazz, per sources.
The 34-year-old Beverley, who was reportedly thrilled to learn of the impending deal, will join the player he referred to as his "dream superstar teammate" earlier this offseason — LeBron James.
Beverley will return to the City of Angels after spending four seasons with the LA Clippers from 2017-21.
In August 2021, he was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. Nine days later, he was shipped off to Minnesota and signed a one-year, $13 million extension with the Timberwolves. Beverley eventually landed with the Jazz in July after being one of the names on a laundry list of players and future picks sent to Utah in exchange for three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert.
The veteran guard is known for his dominant personality and ferocious defensive presence on the court.
On "Undisputed," Shannon Sharpe broke down how Beverley could be an asset for a Lakers' defense that struggled mightily last season, nosediving to 21st in the league by season's end.
"I like the deal a lot," Sharpe said. "I [don't] necessarily love the deal because I don't believe Pat Beverley is the defender he once was, but he's better at defending than anybody the Lakers currently have. Maybe he can replace some of the defense prowess that they lost in [Alex] Caruso … in [Kentavious Caldwell-Pope], which was a lot of the defensive identity and that's why they plummeted in defensive efficiently last year.
"What Pat brings to the table is what Darvin Ham is looking for — a defensive intensity, a defensive mindset and a role player that understands his role and is willing to master that."
Lakers finalizing deal to acquire Patrick Beverley from Jazz
Beverley has held opponents to 41.9% shooting as the closest defender — the second best among players defending 2,000 shots — over the past five seasons, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
Sharpe's co-host Skip Bayless also believes that the Lakers are getting something good with Beverley, explaining what the 13-year NBA veteran brings to the table, but also offering a word of caution.
"I love Pat Bev," Bayless said. "I love everything about him because I like his edge … his mental and physical toughness … the way he competes … the way he irritates the other team. I thought he did a lot of really good things for Minnesota. He did a lot of good things for the Clippers that I love.
"But you know — and I know — [that] he will self-destruct when you least need him to."
Beverley's arrival on an expiring contract essentially leaves only James ($46.7 million) and Anthony Davis ($40.6 million) on the Lakers' books for 2023-24, delivering the team significant salary-cap space, per ESPN.
