The biggest moves of the Los Angeles Lakers offseason thus far have been adding point guards Patrick Beverley and Dennis Schroder to the roster. Learning from their mistakes last season, the Lakers couldn’t have put together more polar opposite offseasons. After signing aging veterans to attempt to boost the offense last season the Lakers were left searching for defensive answers.
Making matters worse was the fact that not only could the veterans not play defense but the offense they were expected to bring didn’t deliver. Learning from this, the Lakers added two point guards who consistently show heart on defense.
Dennis isn’t an elite defender but he is a clear upgrade over what the Lakers had at point guard last season. Beverley is an entirely different story as a guard who has made his career as a defensive irritant by getting in opponents’ heads and forcing turnovers.
Beverley is going to bring a lot to this Lakers team that they were sorely lacking last season. His presence is already a small step in the right direction for a team that has gone from champions to missing the playoffs in less than two years.
It is time for the Lakers to remind the league just how great LeBron James and Anthony Davis can be and an underrated part of that will be the intangibles that Beverley brings to this team.
1. Patrick Beverley isn’t going to be shy about calling out the Lakers stars
If his opening press conference and entire career are any indications, Patrick isn’t fazed by putting on a Laker uniform and playing with LeBron. Let’s be clear, LeBron is an all-time great teammate and leader who has led three different teams to championships.
However, he isn’t infallible and at times has needed a veteran teammate willing to speak up, whether it is demanding LeBron to be more aggressive or pushing him to play tighter defense; it never hurts to have a veteran who isn’t afraid of the living legend that is James.
Beverley isn’t going to be afraid of anyone inside the locker room or on the court. He has made his career by being outspoken and pushing his teammates and irritating his opponents. His value isn’t going to always be in the stat sheet but in how he pushes his teammates and is willing to ask LeBron or Anthony Davis to change their play style or effort.
This isn’t to say Beverley is always going to be correct or that it will always be appreciated but that he is a presence the Lakers badly needed. When this team won the title they had a great mix of defense and veteran leadership. Beverley will bring a bit of both.