Report: Jazz Trade Patrick Beverley to Lakers, Acquire Talen Horten-Tucker & Stanley Johnson
ESPN's NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski has reported that the Utah Jazz have traded Patrick Beverley to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Talen Horten-Tucker and Stanley Johnson.
Beverley will be teaming up with LeBron James as the Lakers make a last-ditch effort to reconstruct their roster for a 2022-23 title run.
The move makes sense for the Jazz as they have a log jam at the point guard position mixed with veterans and players that need live reps to develop.
This will open up opportunities for Jared Butler and Leandro Balmero as they look to cement their place in the rotation.
Horten-Tucker is entering his fourth year in the league and averaged 10 points per game last year on 41% shooting. The former 2019 second-round pick is only 22 years old, and as the current Jazz roster stands, it’s unclear where he fits in the rotation. Although, this could change on a dime if a Donovan Mitchell trade is lurking around the corner.
Johnson is entering his eighth year in the league and is no stranger to trades, as he’ll be playing for his fifth team since 2015. The former lottery pick has never established himself as a difference-maker in the league, but will try and flip the script with a new beginning in Salt Lake City.
It is worth noting that Horton-Tucker has a player option in 2023-24 at $11 million, and Johnson’s contract expires in 2023.
As the dust settles, the question on everybody’s mind is, where does this leave Russell Westbrook? Bringing in Beverley may suggest that the former MVP’s days could be numbered in L.A.
This offseason just got a little more interesting.
Follow Patrick on Twitter @pbyrnesNBA.
