The Los Angeles Lakers are bringing back an old foe.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the team is nearing a deal to acquire veteran guard Patrick Beverley from the Utah Jazz in exchange for Talon Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson.
The agreement is expected to be finalised Thursday morning.
Beverley, who signed a one-year, $13 million contract extension with the Jazz last season, joined the team earlier this offseason as part of the Rudy Gobert blockbuster, which also included a slew of draught picks and other players from the Minnesota Timberwolves.
What role will Patrick Beverley play for the Lakers?
The veteran guard is now with the Lakers, who should find plenty of uses for him. Beverley’s game is well-established at this point, with him being an absolute pest on defence while also sharing the ball and making 3-pointers when necessary. And making as much noise as possible through sound bites and social media.
That could work well in Los Angeles, where perimeter defence and shooting were obvious weaknesses last season, especially after the departure of Alex Caruso. Beverley isn’t a one-for-one replacement for the current Chicago Bulls guard, but it’s something for a team in need of a change.
Beverley has a history with the Lakers, which is to be expected for a player as loud as him when he plays for a Western Conference contender. He stated a few months ago that he believes he can help the Lakers, taking a shot at LeBron James in the process.
Last season, Beverley averaged 9.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, and a career-high 4.6 assists per game for the Timberwolves. He’ll be part of a guard rotation that includes Russell Westbrook (for the time being), Austin Reaves, Kendrick Nunn, and Lonnie Walker IV.
What the Lakers are giving the Jazz
On the Utah side, the Jazz get a young potential rotation piece in Horton-Tucker, who looked like a future Lakers player until the time came for him to carry a heavier offensive load. He is still an unacceptably poor 3-point shooter (26.9% from deep last season), but he is only 21 years old and has good physical potential.
Johnson went from a 10-day contract to a legitimate rotation piece for the Lakers last season during a desperate time for the team, finishing with 6.7 points per game.
