The Los Angeles Lakers have three more roster spots to fill this offseason with 12 players currently under contract. All signs are pointing to the Lakers signing two more players this offseason and leaving the 15th and final signing open for a future buyout.
Following the questionable Eric Bledsoe trade by the Los Angeles Clippers, we explained why Rajon Rondo was a future buyout target for the Lakers. It would follow the trend of bringing in former Lakers.
Someone who would not follow the trend is Patrick Beverley. Beverley was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves after being traded to Memphis. Quickly after that second trade, reports surfaced that LeBron James would welcome Patrick Beverley to the Lakers if he was bought out.
That got Laker fans excited as the idea of adding a defensive pest like Beverley on a minimum contract at the deadline is a great one. It would help the team’s defensive identity and would help replace the loss of Alex Caruso.
As fun as it would be, though, it simply will not happen.
Why Patrick Beverley will not sign with the Los Angeles Lakers:
It has nothing to do with the Los Angeles Lakers’ current situation either. Obviously, we view Rajon Rondo as a potential fit and the Lakers have worked out several guards in Isaiah Thomas, Mike James and Darren Collison. It is clear that point guard is a potential need for the team, so that has nothing to do with it.
It all has to do with Beverley himself and quite frankly, it all has to do with his trade value. We could sit here and make the case that Beverley wouldn’t sign with the Lakers after battling them on the Clippers but that is not true at all.
While he could feel that way, there is no way of knowing that and at the end of the day, winning the title would probably be the most important thing to him if he was bought out.
It is the entire idea that he is going to be bought out. Yes, he plays for a bad team and is on an expiring deal but that does not guarantee a buyout. The important third part of the equation is Beverley’s contract versus his perceived value.
Guys get bought out when their perceived value is far lower than what they are being paid, making it impossible to justify working out a trade. That is not the case with Beverley.
Beverley is making $14.3 million, which is very movable in the NBA. Not only that, but he definitely has value for a contending team that wants to add perimeter defense to their ranks. If his contract was in the $20 million range then it would be a problem. It is not a problem whatsoever.
The Milwaukee Bucks could package three smaller contracts with draft capital if they so wanted to, the Nets could package DeAndre Jordan, a contract and draft capital, the Philadelphia 76ers could trade Mike Scott, a contract and draft capital… you get the point.
There are suitors out there for Beverley that could easily make a trade happen. Even if Minnesota does not get a great return, it is better than getting no return and buying him out.
For that reason, I would not expect Patrick Beverley in the purple and gold any time soon.