The Los Angeles Lakers made their first trade of the NBA offseason earlier this week. While it wasn’t as big of a headliner grabber as many were expecting, it will still improve the roster for the upcoming season.
Los Angeles completed a deal with the Utah Jazz, acquiring Patrick Beverley in exchange for Talen Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson. For Horton-Tucker, this is quite a fall from grace. It was not too long ago that Rob Pelinka wouldn’t include him in a trade package for Kyle Lowry. Now, there are fans more upset that Johnson is on the move than he is.
As for Beverley, he is a strong addition. Fans are hopeful that he isn’t the last piece that the team adds, but for the first move, Beverley brings a lot to the table to like.
One NBA scout that spoke to NBA Analysis Network spoke about how Beverley will fit with the Lakers. They expect things to go well given the energy and aggressiveness that he plays with on the court.
“Acquiring more catch-and-shoot threats was a must for the Lakers. Most of their more efficient options are no longer on the team. Beverley is pretty limited off the bounce, but he’s at least going to bring you that spot-up shooting. Defensively is where there’ll be a big difference. Everyone sees how he guards the ball with a lot of energy, but he’s also a vocal leader that helps to get the most out of his guys. He will hold even LeBron accountable.”
Beverley will bring a lot of the same leadership qualities to the table that Rajon Rondo did to the team that won the NBA Championship in the Orlando Bubble in 2020. The Lakers have lacked that in the following two seasons and Beverley isn’t going to hesitate to get into teammates that aren’t doing their part.
As the scout said, the defensive impact that he will provide cannot be understated. Los Angeles was poor on that end of the court last season and he is a major upgrade in that regard over Russell Westbrook.
The same can be said about the 3-point shooting, as teams are happy to let Westbrook attempt shots on the perimeter. That is not the case with Beverley, who is a 37.8 percent shooter from distance in his career.
Russell Westbrook is the more explosive player and likely a better playmaker, but Beverley’s skill set is a perfect complement to the other stars on the team. Los Angeles has certainly improved their outlook by adding Patrick Beverley to the mix.
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