Lakers Acquire Patrick Beverley From Jazz

The Los Angeles Lakers are reported to have made a deal to send 21-year-old Talen Horton-Tucker and former lottery pick Stanley Johnson to the Utah Jazz for Patrick Beverley. This is the second time this off-season Beverley has been traded and the fourth time (Clippers, to Memphis, to Minnesota, to Utah, now, Los Angeles) in the last two NBA off-seasons.

With Beverley joining this Lakers squad, which failed to make the play-in tournament last year, there are many storylines to look at. With Beverley's return to L.A, he joins LeBron and Anthony Davis, as the Lakers hope this addition will help ramp up their perimeter defence. Beverley played 58 games last season for the Minnesota Timberwolves averaging 9.2 points, 4.6 assists and 4.1 rebounds. With this being said, Beverley is known league-wide as a defensive-minded pest and one of the most intense and irritating players to go against on a nightly basis. Last season, the Lakers had the league's 23rd-ranked defence. With a 3-time NBA All-Defensive team member in Beverley joining Russel Westbrook, Austin Reaves, Lonnie Walker IV, and Kendrick Nunn in the backcourt, the Lakers are hoping to turn around their defence this season.

While this is not a franchise-changing move by no stretch of the imagination, it is understandable why Lakers management made it. Beverley is currently a better defender and three-point shooter than the Lakers' starting guard last season, Russel Westbrook. Beverley shot the three at the worst rate of his career last season, going 34.3% on 4.2 attempts. Westbrook shot 29.8% on 3.4 attempts from three last year.

On the defensive side of the ball, Beverley is a 3-time NBA All-Defensive Team member who is still a physical defender late in his career. His defence is currently not at the same level as it was, but when looking at last season and comparing Beverley's defensive ability to Westbrook's, Beverley had the better season. Beverley helped bring the Timberwolves to a memorable play-in tournament win and was a crucial part of their 6-game series against Memphis.

Beverley adds an element of perimeter defence and floor spacing that Westbrook couldn't provide last year. Even if Beverley is not a part of the Lakers' long-term plans or isn't even on the Lakers roster come opening night, this acquisition is a step in the right direction for the Lakers, who are hoping to turn things around this season.

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By: Anthony Ametrano