Lakers Rumors: Insider Predicts LA Trades Patrick Beverley And A Pick For Top Player On The Market

Could the Pat Bev Experience finally, mercifully be coming to a close?

Los Angeles Lakers starting "shooting" guard Patrick Beverley, who stands all of 6'1" on a good day, might finally, mercifully be on his way out of town, following a mediocre first season for LA. Head coach Darvin Ham seems to be giving too much credit to Pat Bev's All-Defensive Team past when doling out his present minutes. Though he's still a decent perimeter defender, he is not what he once was, and is offensive deficiencies have now outweighed his aptitude on the other end of the floor.

Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report postulates that the Lakers, desperate for elite shooting help all year (especially along the wing), will make at least one more big move in time for next Thursday's trade deadline. Buckley believes LA will be able to flip Beverley's $13 million expiring contract, one of the team's two tradable first round draft picks this year (in either 2027 or 2029) for Detroit Pistons sharpshooting 6'7" power forward Bogdan Bogdanovic.

One deal that could make sense for both parties would be packaging the pick, Beverley's money, forward Juan Toscano-Anderson and little-used center Damian Jones. JTA could replace Bogdanovic positionally, though he's not nearly the same level of player. The Pistons could opt to waive Jones. The team has a full 15-man standard roster at present, so it could either decide to buy out Patrick Beverley and allow him to could sign with another team on a minimum deal, or waive Toscano-Anderson and keep Beverly.

Detroit is in full rebuild mode, and it doesn't really make sense for the club as currently comprised to keep a 33-year-old win-now vet like Bogdanovic on its books in the immediate future.

Bogdanovic would represent a massive upgrade for the Lakers, and could certainly help make the team into a frisky play-in tournament threat.