NBA free agent Patrick Beverley, who recently completed his 12th season in the league with the Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks, shared an intriguing update on his basketball future in a social media post on Sunday.
Beverley stated on X that he is “weighing his options” between accepting a veteran minimum contract in the NBA and a “historic” contract offer to play in Europe.
Better known for his defense, Beverley continues to be impactful in that area, despite his career 37.1% three-point shooting percentage declining a bit last season. As a free agent, he has the freedom to sign with any team but might prefer a high-paying contract in Europe over a veteran minimum offer from an NBA team.
Beverley was chosen as the 42nd pick in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, but he continued his career in Europe with Dnipro, Olympiacos, and Spartak St. Petersburg until receiving an offer from the Houston Rockets, where he played from 2013 to 2017.
Patrick Beverley's time in the NBA
![Milwaukee Bucks guard Patrick Beverley (21) gestures towards the crowd following a play during the second quarter against the Indiana Pacers during game five of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Fiserv Forum.](https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Patrick-Beverley-celebrating.jpg)
Patrick Beverley has built an impressive career, ranking 13th in career minutes played among his 2009 draft class. This achievement is particularly impressive for a second-round pick who didn't make his NBA debut until the 2012-13 season after playing professionally overseas.
Considering that Stefanos Dedas is now leading the Tel Aviv club and previously worked with Beverley at Spartak St. Petersburg during the 2011/12 season, it becomes even more plausible that the 2012 EuroCup MVP could take his talents to Hapoel Tel Aviv.
Last summer, Patrick Beverley hit free agency after playing for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Chicago Bulls. He became a significant signing for the Philadelphia 76ers, who were looking to add experienced veterans to strengthen their bench.
Beverley played in 47 games for the Sixers, mostly coming off the bench and averaging 20 minutes. In that span, he scored six points per game while shooting 43 percent from the field.
Still a valuable defensive asset
Patrick Beverley remains a valuable rotational player and aggressor, despite averaging only 20 minutes per game last season with the Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks. In Europe, he would likely receive more playing time and a higher salary, though the competition would be less prestigious.
Beverley's defensive tenacity and demeanor quickly endeared him to Philadelphia fans. However, his season with the Sixers was cut short when, at the trade deadline, Philadelphia executed several trades that included Beverley, sending him to the Bucks.
The defensive specialist last appeared in 26 regular-season games for the Bucks during the 2023-24 season and averaged six points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists.
In his NBA career, Beverley has appeared in 666 regular season games, with averages of 8.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. He earned NBA All-Defensive First Team honors in 2017 and was named to the Second Team twice (2014, 2020).
If Beverley joins Hapoel Tel Aviv, he'll be alongside names like Johnathan Motley, Ish Wainright, Ben Bentil, Joe Ragland, and Marcus Foster.
As NBA teams gear up for training camp in the coming months, Beverley should soon make a decision. Should he choose to return to the NBA, he'll need to serve a suspension at the start of next season due to an incident involving a confrontation with a fan.