On September 24, Los Angeles Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank spoke to the media for the first time since the NBA draft, and he had a ton of interesting things to say.
Frank discussed a number of topics, including the upcoming season, the return timeline for Kawhi Leonard (spoiler alert: We still have no idea when he’ll be back) and the team’s offseason roster moves, which included parting ways with beloved guard Patrick Beverley.
The 33-year-old Beverley spent the last four years with the Clips, but he, along with Rajon Rondo and Daniel Oturu, was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for guard Eric Bledsoe. Beverley was subsequently traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves, and when discussing the Pat Bev trade, Frank had some strong words and sentiments about the veteran guard’s departure.
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Frank Revealed Offseason Priorities for Clippers
“First and foremost, we wanted to re-sign Kawhi,” Frank said about the Clippers’ goals this summer, per Law Murray of The Athletic.
“You know when you have a transcendent talent like Kawhi, one of the best players in the world, that was priority number one. And the fact that he’s not only decided to remain a Clipper but that he’s firmly planted his flag in the ground I think it’s a great — it’s a validation of a lot of different things. … Our goal every year is to compete for championships, and that’s what Kawhi is about.”
Unfortunately, that also meant trading valued veterans in order to acquire new talent. Clipper Nation was shocked when fan-favorite Beverley was included in the trade package for Bledsoe, and Frank talked about what a difficult decision it was to part ways with Pat Bev, specifically.
Frank on Pat Bev Trade: ‘It’s a S***** Part of the Business
Frank noted that while keeping Kawhi in place was paramount, he also wanted to retain as many players who formed the “core” of the Clippers’ roster.
“We wanted to bring back the core of the roster, and for Reggie (Jackson) and Nico (Batum) both to want to be back. … It was gratifying to see that we can bring the core of the team back.”
That apparently didn’t include Beverley.
“The worst part of this gig is having to trade players with Pat,” Frank said, adding:
I think sometimes, the perception is when you trade someone — one, like you were unsatisfied with them, which, no. With Pat, Pat did everything in his power every single day to prepare to play and compete every single play. Two, that once you trade someone it’s like, OK, like the relationship is over. And with Pat, like, you know, forever Pat will be a part of our lives and wish him nothing but the best. I think he’ll have a huge impact with Minnesota. So, it’s a s***** part of the business. But I think one where you try to, you deal with it straightforward. You give people advance notice. You talk to Pat, you talk to the agent, you explain the why. And it stinks, quite frankly.
Beverley averaged 26.2 minutes per game over his four-year tenure with L.A., averaging 8.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game in that span. Regardless of how well Bledsoe does, Clipper Nation is going to miss Beverley’s contributions.
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Clippers President Has Strong Words on Patrick Beverley Exit