3. Patrick Beverley
The Los Angeles Lakers already have reported interest in Patrick Beverley and they have the means to make a trade happen. Beverley does not have a lot of trade value as an expiring asset on a tanking Utah team and the Lakers could make it happen with Talen Horton-Tucker, Wenyen Gabriel and a future second-round pick.
Now I know what you are thinking: Beverley is a point guard and plays the same position as Kyrie Irving. How could Beverley be starting in the Lakers’ lineup if the team also brings in Kyrie? While Beverley and Irving are both point guards by definition, they would actually work well together.
Beverley is not a point guard who need the ball and can absolutely take a back seat offensively and allow LeBron James and Kyrie to do the facilitating. He can be the team’s primary playmaker if neither player is on the court, but that is in small bursts.
The best point guards to put next to LeBron are ones that do not need the basketball. With Kyrie being able to drive to the rim and make threes, he would essentially operate as the two guard with Beverley being the defensive presence.
The Lakers need defense, particularly on the perimeter, and adding Beverley would make a huge difference as the pairing of him and Anthony Davis would work wonders for the team. He would essentially be a significantly better version of Avery Bradley.
Ranking each Lakers free agency signing by impact next season
The Los Angeles Lakers brought in five new players in free agency this summer. Here are those five players ranked by likely impact next season.
This would give the Lakers a starting five of Beverley, Irving, Harris, LeBron and Anthony Davis. If the team wants to get technical, it could start Thomas Bryant at the five and have Beverley be the big-minutes sixth man. Either way, this would be the best five for LA.