With rumors slowly surfacing that Patrick Beverley may get paid this summer, the LA Clippers should consider doing everything they can to keep him.
Patrick Beverley is coming off a great season which saw him thrust into the spotlight as one the LA Clippers’ leaders and their defining culture guy. With him being set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, the Clippers front office need to do everything they can to hold on to him.
Rumors have already begun to surface that the Dallas Mavericks have interest in Beverley’s services, but realistically, nearly every team in the league could use him. Bev is best known for his ability to get into guys defensively and his no nonsense attitude is the type that everyone hates to be up against but loves to have on their squad.
He also proved this season that he could be a catch and shoot guy, hitting 39.7% of his 3.6 attempts from deep this season. Even better, he shot 43.3% on 5.0 attempts during the team’s six playoff games against the Warriors.
A three-and-d veteran is going to be highly sought after, but it’s the personality that Beverley brings that the Clippers need to keep. He’s willing to do the dirty work that superstars usually don’t. (He led the team in rebounds per game in the playoffs) He’s willing to dive for loose balls and take on any defensive assignment on the court. His mental toughness inspires others, as seen during the incredible 31 point comeback.
His mentorship to the rookies this season was also invaluable. There were several points during the season that Beverley could be seen explaining instances to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Having that around for another season can only help.
The tough part here for LA will be the money aspect. Beverley might not be getting a huge pay day, but the Clips likely cannot afford that, especially if they manage to land their two coveted max contract players. If that were the case, the most Beverley could be offered would be a mid-level exception.
If only one joins, the team would have a little room to offer him more money, but still likely wouldn’t want to pay too much as to keep cap space available for summer 2020.
Beverley is the type of player championship teams need, so if the Clippers are trying to become a real contender, they cannot afford to let him go.