Free agent and 30-year-old point guard Patrick Beverley may be in line for the final significant contract of his NBA career this offseason, and he will reportedly be doing his due diligence with a number of meetings before committing to a team.
On Monday, Sean Deveney of Sporting News reported Beverley will meet with as many as five different teams before he meets with the Los Angeles Clippers in two weeks. Deveney called Beverley a “sensible” target for the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers and noted he “won’t necessarily wait on an offer from” the Clippers before signing somewhere.
The Clippers have their eyes on max-level free agents in the immediate future, and Beverley will meet with other teams while Los Angeles pursues bigger names.
That Deveney mentioned the Bulls is notable because Beverley—a Chicago native—has already been connected to the team.
“I am Chicago. I’m from Chicago. I bleed Chicago. I really think I can help the city. I think I can save the city,” Beverley said, per K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. “I inspire already. And I’d be a great inspiration just walking around the city of Chicago, knowing I’m from there, knowing that someone made it out and you can go and do the same.
“I’m a Chicago kid. So of course I’m open to playing for the Chicago Bulls if that’s a team that’s interested in me. At the same time, any decision that is made, it’s never personal. It’s always business. I have to make the right decision for me and my family.”
If I’m a GM or President I’m searching for a Chicago kid to add to my team. You can’t measure our heart. @patbev21 you are an animal. A player you love to hate and hate to love
Beverley also took note of the Bulls’ decision to hire Roy Rogers as an assistant after the point guard spent a season with him on the Houston Rockets:
The Bulls have a promising young core that includes Lauri Markkanen, Wendell Carter Jr., Otto Porter Jr. and Zach LaVine, among others. Adding Beverley as a veteran leader to the mix could be a recipe for success, but he could also help a team ready to compete for a title in the immediate future.
While his numbers of 7.6 points and 3.8 assists a night in 2018-19 don’t jump out, he hit 39.7 percent of his triples. His impact also goes beyond the raw numbers thanks to his leadership, tendency to never back down even when outmatched and defensive prowess.
That was never clearer than in the first round of the playoffs when he went right at Kevin Durant and helped the Clippers win two games as significant underdogs against the Golden State Warriors.
That type of mentality as either a spark off the bench or someone who can set the tone from the backcourt could be a missing ingredient for a number of teams next season and beyond.
Courtesy: Bleacher Report
