Getty Patrick Beverley, Los Angeles Lakers
On November 23, the Los Angeles Lakers fell to defeat against the Phoenix Suns, however, it was Patrick Beverley that found himself making headlines.
Following a hard foul on Austin Reeves, Deandre Ayton stood over the Lakers guard in an imposing manner, prompting Beverley to shove the Suns’ big man in the back, sending him to the floor.
Shortly after the game, Fox Sports’ Nick Wright sounded off on Beverley via Twitter, stating there was no reason for the Lakers guard to be in the NBA, and that he doesn’t provide Los Angeles with any value.
I’ve said it for years and I will say it again: There’s no reason for Patrick Beverley to be in the league. None whatsoever. A blight on the sport.
And to the fact that he’s also now, literally, the worst offensive player in the entire league & it just makes it more obvious.
“I’ve said it for years and I will say it again: There’s no reason for Patrick Beverley to be in the league. None whatsoever. A blight on the sport. And to the fact that he’s also now, literally, the worst offensive player in the entire league & it just makes it more obvious,” Wright Tweeted.
Wright does have a point regarding Beverley’s offense, as the 34-year-old guard is shooting a paltry 26.6% from the field and 23.8% from three-point territory while averaging 4.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game – although, there’s no denying Beverley is an impactful presence on the defensive end.
NBA Makes Final Call on Beverley’s Punishment
On November 24, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that the NBA has decided to suspend Beverley for three games for his conduct during the game against Phoenix.
“Patrick Beverley’s suspension is for shoving Suns‘ Deandre Ayton from behind, knocking him to the court, and was based in part on Beverley’s history of unsportsmanlike acts, NBA says,” Charania Tweeted.
Beverley will now miss two games against the San Antonio Spurs and also a contest against the Indiana Pacers but will be available for selection when the Lakers face the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday, November 30.
Lakers Implored to Bench Beverley
On November 17, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley wrote an article sharing why he believes the Lakers should bench Beverley, with the aging guard’s limited offensive upside a primary factor.
PAT BEVERLEY KNOCKS DOWN AYTON FOR TAUNTING AUSTIN REAVES
“A 27.8 shooting percentage would be alarming from three—but that’s actually Beverley’s overall conversion rate. Beyond the arc, he’s down to just 23.5 percent. That’s untenable. As much as the Lakers might think they need Beverley’s point-of-attack defense, they can’t afford to have him suck the air out of their attack. If he’s not spacing the floor, then he’s adding nothing on offense, which makes you wonder how he’s seeing the fifth-most floor time on the team (28.1 minutes per game),” Buckley wrote.
There’s no doubt that Beverley provides Los Angeles with some high-level point-of-attack defense, and that his voice is a useful tool within the locker room in terms of veteran leadership. But, if Beverley’s presence within the rotation is harming the Lakers’ offense, which is struggling to begin the season, then perhaps Darvin Ham should consider removing him from the rotation.
Luckily for the Lakers, they’re going to get a closer look at how their team performs without Beverley while he serves his suspension, and then we can see if he can regain his spot within the rotation once he returns.