The Los Angeles Lakers are in desperate need for help going into the 2022-23 season as they search for ways to make it back to postseason contention and may find a familiar face land on the roster before the offseason is over.
Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer noted that defensive pest Patrick Beverley, 34, is drawing interest from multiple teams like the Lakers, Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers.
However, Fischer is skeptical about Beverley joining the Sixers because of them acquiring De’Anthony Melton by trading veteran shooter Danny Green and 23rd overall pick David Roddy during the 2022 NBA draft.
This leaves the Lakers and the Heat as his most likely destinations after the Utah Jazz revealed that they are making their veterans available for trade according to Shams Charania and Tony Jones of The Athletic.
According to them, the Jazz are on the lookout for “draft picks and younger players who are on rookie-scale deals,” which have led them to engage in trade talks with the New York Knicks involving Donovan Mitchell.
Beverley found himself in Utah thanks to the massive Rudy Gobert trade that also included Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Leandro Bolmaro and the 22nd overall pick Walker Kessler plus a treasure trove of picks.
The Lakers might not be able to acquire a superstar of Mitchell’s caliber though since they lack the necessary assets to make an enticing offer, but they could make a possible run at Beverley.
Based on ESPN’s trade machine, trading for Beverley will most definitely have to include Talen Horton-Tucker since he has a two-year deal worth $10.3 million, while the defensive ace will make $13 million in the coming season.
Horton-Tucker alone will not be enough to match salaries, so they will most likely have to include about three second-round picks and another young player, possibly Austin Reaves, to entice the Jazz.
However, the Lakers can also swing for the fences and bring back former Sixth Man of the Year winner Jordan Clarkson to Los Angeles.
The deal involving Horton-Tucker and Reaves still works if they go for Clarkson, but Lakers fans will surely lament the fact that they would be giving up more picks to pry the high-level scorer from Utah.
Beverley seems to make the most sense for the Lakers as they could use a well-known presence on the defensive end to better their depth at the guard position.
But if the Lakers can swindle Clarkson from them, it would be an instant upgrade to their offense, possibly even becoming the starting shooting guard when scenarios call for it.
The Lakers have multiple options to play with what the Jazz are offering on the market, one offering high-level defense and another being an offensive threat.
It all depends on what the Lakers’ front office wants to improve on going into next season.
Patrick Beverley #22 of the Minnesota Timberwolves celebrates after recording a steal against the Los Angeles Clippers in the fourth quarter during a Play-In Tournament game at Target Center on April 12, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves won 109-104 to advance to the NBA Playoffs.
Photo: David Berding/Getty Images
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