Lakers Among Top Contenders to Reacquire Controversial Former Guard
There was surprise this week when veteran NBA guard Patrick Beverley announced his departure from Hapoel Tel Aviv in Israel, citing a mutual and amicable split.
Beverley, a 36-year-old, 12-year NBA veteran, signed to play overseas this season after struggling to find a spot in the NBA during the summer. Now, as the NBA reaches the All-Star break and teams begin to focus on their playoff rosters, Beverley is a free agent and eligible for a return to the league.
The last team Beverley played for was the Bucks, where he appeared in 26 games under coach and mentor Doc Rivers.
“Definitely a vibe. Tel Aviv was great. Fans were great. Coach was great. Israel was great; I had so much fun here. Thanks for everything. Yalla Hapoel,” Beverley posted on Twitter/X this week.
Beverley began his NBA career with the Rockets before moving to the Clippers. He later played for five different teams, including the first part of the 2022-23 season with the Lakers.
In recent years, Beverley has become known more for his bold opinions on “The Pat Bev Podcast” than his on-court performances. He criticized the Lakers and their fans after the team traded for Dorian Finney-Smith last month.
However, Beverley remains a defensive force who can also hit 3-pointers, making his potential return to the NBA a point of interest for playoff contenders. A return to the Lakers, at least, remains a possibility.
According to an NBA Central post on Twitter/X: “The Phoenix Suns are the favorites to win the Pat Bev sweepstakes, per @BovadaOfficial.”
“Phoenix Suns -120
Brooklyn Nets +325
Philadelphia 76ers +325
LA Lakers +600
Real Madrid Baloncesto +1400
KK Partizan NIS +2000
Virtus Bologna +2000
Olimpia Milano +2000
BC Dubai +2500”
Although the Lakers aren’t the favorites to sign Beverley, they remain one of the four NBA teams with a strong chance of bringing him back.