Lakers News: Former LA Guard Signs with Israeli Team

Is his NBA career coming to a permanent close?

Oct 30, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) is defended by Los Angeles Lakers guard Patrick Beverley (21) and guard Russell Westbrook (0) in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

One-time Los Angeles Lakers combo guard Patrick Beverley is departing the NBA after 12 decorated pro seasons.

Per Beverley's own Barstool podcast, The Pat Bev Pod, announced the news on its official X account, inaccurately saying the 6-foot-2 vet will play in Europe — he actually intends to join Israeli squad Hapoel Tel Aviv BC.

“They gave me everything I asked for… I couldn’t refuse,” Beverley said, per the X account.

A three-time All-Defensive Teamer, the 35-year-old Beverley played on the Lakers for just 45 games during an erratic first half of the 2022-23 season, averaging 6.4 points on .402/.348/.780 shooting splits, 3.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.6 blocks a night. Because the team's perimeter defense and general wing depth was so lackluster, then-head coach Darvin Ham had installed Beverley as the club's pint-sized starting shooting guard, next to starting point guard Russell Westbrook.

The team was in danger of missing its second straight postseason, before it eventually offloaded the exorbitant contracts of Beverley, Westbrook, and Kendrick Nunn (three point guards eating up a combined $65.35 million in expiring salaries) and wholly reconfigured the club's lottery in a direction that made sense, bringing in point guard D'Angelo Russell (and elevating the import of reserve guard Dennis Schröder, who at that point was better than Beverley, Westbrook and Nunn, as his primary backup), combo forward Rui Hachimura, shooting guard Malik Beasley, forward Jarred Vanderbilt, and 3-and-D center Mo Bamba in various deals for their contracts.

Los Angeles promptly went on to right the ship, adding significant defense and shooting en route to a return to the Western Conference Finals.

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