Getty Despite getting under the skin of opposing players, Patrick Beverley has done well for himself.
Patrick Beverley is one of the most polarizing figures in the NBA, but the point guard has become a valuable part of the Clippers success. Beverley may be an irritant on the court, but he has already earned more than $25 million over his career. Beverley has earned $25.8 million during his eight NBA seasons, per Spotrac.
Beverley is on the final season of a four-year, $23 million contract and will be a free agent this summer. Beverley has a $5,027,027 salary with the Clippers this season. During the Clippers-Warriors series, Beverley noted his goal is not to irritate people on the court, but if it happens as a byproduct of his defensive style the point guard is okay with the results.
“I don’t try to get in people’s head man,” Beverley told The Athletic. “I can’t help (that) people get irritated by me. It’s not my fault. I go out there and I try to be the best defender on the f—— planet, consistently – (day) in and out, in and out. I take my role, I take my job, very seriously, and I do it for my teammates. I do it for my role, and I understand how to get stops. KD is not an easy cover, but it’s fun out there for sure.”
Clippers Head Coach Doc Rivers Noted Patrick Beverley “Takes Everything Personal”
Beverley was traded from the Rockets to the Clippers in 2017 as part of the Chris Paul trade. Clippers head coach Doc Rivers admits he even gets into disagreements with Beverley.
“Pat was good,” Rivers noted to the Los Angeles Times. “It’s not like an argument or anything, just every vet has his way and we have our way. You’ve just got to tell them, ‘This is the way we’re doing it.’…Pat takes everything personal. The fact that [Houston] wanted Chris Paul and not Pat pissed Pat off.”
Warriors center Andrew Bogut was complimentary of Beverley’s style of play and how it has helped the Clippers.
“His effect on the game a lot of times is more mental than physical,” Bogut told ESPN. “He’s always trying to get into KD’s head and Klay’s head and Steph’s head, holding, grabbing, flopping, whatever he does. I can’t hate on it because that’s his role. He’s doing a tremendous job for that team. They seem to respond well when he does those kinds of things. They made their run with him off the court, too, so that’s another thing we got to look at.”
Beverley averaged nine points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.2 steals over his career. Beverley went to college at Arkansas and was drafted with the No. 42 pick of the second round in the 2009 NBA draft by the Lakers.
Despite being drafted, it would not be until the 2012-13 season that Beverley would catch on in the NBA with the Rockets where he averaged 17 minutes per game.