A new report indicates that the Los Angeles Lakers are privately viewing new addition Patrick Beverley as a wing who can give the team solid defense on a regular basis.
NBA insider Marc Stein recently offered some intel on a number of different NBA teams, including the Lakers and their guard situation.
“With [Russell] Westbrook poised to remain a Laker when new coach Darvin Ham opens his first training camp as L.A.’s new coach, sources say Beverley is regarded internally by the club as a 3-and-D wing and not as a point guard at this stage of his career,” Stein wrote. “The Lakers, in other words, see Westbrook and [Dennis] Schröder as their point guards as of Sept. 18 … and the likes of Beverley, Kendrick Nunn, Austin Reaves and Lonnie Walker IV as 2s and 3s.”
The designation of Beverley as a “3-and-D” player is simply an acknowledgment that he can offer the team a long-range shooting option in addition to his aforementioned defensive skills.
Bringing Ample Talents
Beverley has had an active offseason after first being traded to the Utah Jazz from the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Lakers then acquired him last month after rumors had circulated about a possible deal involving the 34-year-old veteran.
Despite his age, Beverley remains a great defender. In addition, his fiery personality is something that the Lakers can use to shake off the disappointment of last season.
Over the course of Beverley’s 10-year NBA career, he’s connected on 832 3-pointers during the regular season and knocked down 37.8 percent of his shots from beyond the arc. Success like that will be an asset for the Lakers.
Dealing with Reality
The Lakers have spent a good portion of 2022 looking at moving Westbrook to another team, but have not found a deal they like. New Lakers head coach Ham is ready to try to find a role for Westbrook, if only because he has few other options.
How much Schroder plays will be interesting to watch after he chose not to re-sign with the Lakers during his first stint with the team. In addition, Nunn missed all of last season due to injury and is one of the younger members of L.A.’s backcourt.
Of course, there’s no guarantee that the infusion of backcourt talent will prove to be a success for the Lakers. Last year, dreams of another NBA title crashed and burned when Westbrook struggled to fit in, and injuries turned the squad into a non-playoff team.
