Lakers News: Patrick Beverley's Biggest Weakness

New Los Angeles Lakers point guard Patrick Beverley's chief deficiency doesn't actually involve his on-court play -- directly, at least.

In a deal that should excite Lakers fans, L.A. flipped intriguing prospect/disappointing present-day player Talen Horton-Tucker, along with fun defensive-oriented forward Stanley Johnson, to the Utah Jazz in exchange for Beverley, who had been shipped to Utah earlier in the offseason from the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The 6'1" 10-year NBA veteran out of the University of Arkansas has evolved into one of the league's wildest and feistiest perimeter defenders. He throws his body around and generally does whatever must be done in the service of a play. But that kind of approach to the game has consequences. Namely, injuries.

As Bobby Marks of ESPN notes, Beverley's health may be the biggest cause for concern among the Lakers front office and coaching staff. Check out the full video unpacking the trade here:

Since the 2017-18 season, Beverley has missed 155 out of 390 regular season contests, largely due to a variety of maladies. When he is available, he remains quite effective as a 3-and-D point guard who can also defend bigger wings on occasion, looks to cut when off-ball, and possesses decent court awareness and passing sense.

Last year, the 34-year-old averaged 9.2 points on .406/.343/.722 shooting splits, along with 4.6 assists, 4.1 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 0.9 blocks a night. These are hardly All-Star numbers, but that's the point. This is a great role player, and, if he can stay available for 60+ games and be healthy in time for the postseason, this is all the Lakers will need him to do. Los Angeles never needed a present day iteration of Russell Westbrook. They needed a point guard who could contribute to winning away from the action, and be efficient with the rock in his hands.

Yes, Beverley is less durable than Westbrook in part as a result of his defensive effort and style. But that's a risk worth taking.

Another interesting note from Marks here: Beverley had an aggregate restriction baked into his contract, following his initial inclusion in the Rudy Gobert blockbuster deal that sent him from Minnesota to Utah. That essentially meant that, until the restriction expires on September 6th, Beverley could not be packaged with additional players in further deals. But, as Marks points out, since Beverley was dealt solo to the Lakers, that did not impede the trade.