With hopes of competing for another NBA title, things are not going well for the Los Angeles Lakers. They are currently just 8-12 and 13th in the Western Conference. Because of that, the team has been involved in many trade rumors, whether it is to turn the season around or simply blow things up. One of the first players who could be in a new uniform soon is Patrick Beverley.
The point guard is in his first season with the Lakers, but his time with the time might be shorter than expected. According to NBA insider Jovan Buha of The Athletic, Los Angeles might now be more inclined to trade other players before former MVP Russell Westbrook, with Beverley as the biggest name.
The veteran has started in all 15 games he's appeared in. Pat Bev is averaging a career-low 4.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.7 assists. He is hitting only 26.8% of his field goals and 23.4% on his 3-point attempts. On the defensive side, his best feature, he is recording less than a steal a night and has a plus-minus of -6 for the season.
Still, his hustle and energy are certainly useful for playoff teams. Last season, he was one of the central figures of the Minnesota Timberwolves' return to the postseason following the Play-In Tournament.
With an expiring deal worth $13 million, it might not require too much to bring Beverley to a new home in the NBA.
With that being said, here are the three best destinations for Patrick Beverley if the Lakers decide to trade him away.
Sacramento Kings
One of the biggest surprises of the season, the Sacramento Kings could finally return to the playoffs after more than a decade. The team is currently 11-9 and sixth in the West, ahead of organizations such as the Dallas Mavericks and the reigning champions Golden State Warriors.
While there is still a lot of basketball remaining this season, this could be Sacramento's best shot at ending its postseason drought.
The problem is that a lot of the team's young players lack playoff experience. De'Aaron Fox has yet to play in the postseason and Keegan Murray is just a rookie. Additionally, the Kings have one of the worst defenses in the league, allowing 117.2 points a night, ranking them in the bottom five.
Bringing Beverley into the mix could mean more leadership in the locker room leadership and better defense. The Kings offer some second-round picks and some salary fillers to complete the deal. One player they could move is Matthew Dellavedova, who is out of the rotation and is LeBron James' former teammate in Cleveland.
Indiana Pacers
Another option for Patrick Beverley could be the Indiana Pacers. The team is in the playoff zone with a 12-9 record. However, both the Lakers and Pacers have been linked this past offseason due to Los Angeles' interest in both Myles Turner and Buddy Hield.
Both are in the top three in scoring for Indiana and are certainly big parts of the team's early success in 2022-23. But Indiana's attempt to bring Deandre Ayton this past summer might indicate that Turner is not on the Pacers' plans for the future.
A trade for the big man, who makes $18 million, would probably need to involve Beverley. Also, since the guard is on an expiring contract, the Pacers would not hurt their salary cap for the next seasons.
In this case, this trade would improve the Lakers instantly, while Beverley could help Indiana's poor defense (115.4 points allowed per game, placing it in the bottom 10).
Minnesota Timberwolves
In this scenario, it would be a reunion between Patrick Beverley and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Last season with the team, the guard had one of the best seasons of his career, plus being one of the symbols of Minnesota's postseason run.
He averaged 9.2 points, a career-high 4.6 assists, and 4.1 rebounds plus 1.2 steals and 0.9 blocks a night. He also shot 40.6% from the field and 34.3% from beyond the arc.
Beverley's defense would be a good addition to the Timberwolves. Minnesota has the No. 20 defense in the NBA with 115.3 points allowed a night. Most importantly, his return to Minneapolis would likely be a good thing for both him and the franchise.
In 2021-22, Beverley had perhaps one of his best individual seasons since leaving the Houston Rockets. He contributed on both sides of the floor and his energy was certainly an X-factor.
🔥 Patrick Beverley took off his jersey, climbed onto the scores table after beating the Clippers in the Play-In to secure the Timberwolves the 7th seed.
• 7 points
• 11 rebounds
• 3 assistsHuge moment for Minnesota.pic.twitter.com/JUx8sAzt6O
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) April 13, 2022
Without him, it is difficult to imagine the Timberwolves making the playoffs last year. While they are in the Play-In zone right now, they could quickly drop out of it. The Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers are right behind them, so Minnesota must be careful.
At the end of the day, a reunion could be the perfect option for Patrick Beverley. He would return to a place he was very happy, and Minnesota improves its roster. Beverley would not need much time to adapt to the system or city, so he could contribute right away.
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