Lakers: This Year's Patrick Beverley Is Nothing Like Last Year's Patrick Beverley
Current Los Angeles Lakers starting point guard Patrick Beverley is missed in Minnesota.
He spent the 2021-22 season as the Timberwolves' starting point guard and spiritual leader, a grounding veteran presence who helped guide Minnesota to a 46-36 record and a return to the postseason. Yes, the 6'1" vet was not as instrumental to that as stars Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns, but his years of playoff battles and two-way moxie galvanized the team for its first postseason berth since the Jimmy Butler season in 2018.
Taurean Prince, who like Beverley arrived to Minnesota last year, spoke about what he perceives to have been Beverley's impact around the team culture.
“I think experience is the biggest teacher," Prince opined. "So when you've got a guy who's been to the playoffs every year he's been in the NBA, you can't teach that. That's something that just comes with the experience. And the knowledge that he was able to shed on the organization last year is something that a lot of the young guys will take forward into their preparation and add it to their success as they make their way through the league.”
It seems possible that Beverley's charmed run of 10 consecutive playoff appearances may come to a screeching halt one way or another this season. He is currently on a 5-11 Lakers club that seems like it may have trouble reaching the play-in tournament.
Beyond that, Beverley's play on offense has declined noticeably. Across 14 games (all starts), he is averaging a career-worst 4.1 points on a career-worst 26.6% field goal shooting (plus a career-worst 23.8% shooting from deep). He remains a solid presence defensively. The 34-year-old is on an expiring $13 million contract. Should Los Angeles decide to hold on to Russell Westbrook's expiring $47.1 million deal this year, Beverley and a second-round pick or a pick swap could be enough to help L.A. add at least some role-playing depth to a team desperate for shooting help.
When Pat Bev was at his All-Defensive Team peak, he was a terrific 3-and-D role player on some fun Houston Rockets Los Angeles Clippers teams. Without his scoring, he's a tiny, tiny Tony Allen, with a proclivity for shoving dudes when their backs are turned.
Prince has remained with the Timberwolves despite their massive personnel overhaul last summer. Beverley was traded, first to the Utah Jazz, and finally to the Lakers, prior to the start of the 2022-2 season.
