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Pat Beverley expects a raise this off-season
Chicago Bulls guard Pat Beverley is one of many free agents the team has to deal with this off-season. The feisty guard, though, has made it clear early on that he won't come cheap, expressing his desire for a raise on his recent contract that paid him $13 million a year.
No drop-off
Although the 10-year-pro is already getting up there in age (34), he doesn't appear to be slowing down anytime soon. The Arkansas product remains as feisty and tenacious as ever, as he helped the Bulls turn things around when he was acquired from the buyout market after he got traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Orlando Magic.
He signed an $801,614 contract with the Bulls for the rest of the season, which ended when they got ousted from the Play-in tournament by the Miami Heat last weekend. Now a free agent, Beverley is angling to get a more lucrative contract, whether it's with the Bulls or another squad.
"My game hasn't dropped, so I don't think my number that I make this year should drop," Beverley said. "I made 13, but the money does go up, so my 13 this year would be 15 next year."
Helped the Bulls make a late-season push
While the Bulls fell short of making it to the NBA Playoffs, there's no denying Beverley helped them get to within a game of becoming the eighth seed. The team looked lost before the All-Star break, but with Beverley in town, the Bulls were revitalized and finished the regular season with a 13-9 record to end up as the 10th seed. They then defeated the Toronto Raptors in the Play-ins before getting eliminated by the Heat.
However, with the Bulls' rather tricky salary cap situation, it remains to be seen if they can bring back Beverley for the 2023-2024 season. With a tight budget and several players hitting free agency this summer, the Bulls may have some tough decisions to make down the line.
