Patrick Beverley Calls Out Clippers For Failing to Live Up to Contract Promises

Matt Levine | Nov 8, 2024

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Former NBA guard Patrick Beverley has never been one to shy away from his opinions being heard. Even now, not being in the NBA, Beverley has a lot to say.

He is currently with Israeli Basketball Premier League club Hapoel Tel Aviv after going overseas this offseason. But he recently discussed some failed promises that his former team, the Los Angeles Clippers, made when he re-signed with them in 2019.

The veteran also revealed that he turned down a higher-paying deal from the Sacramento Kings to stay in Los Angeles.

"So [when] I signed my deal with the Clippers, I got like a three-year, $50 million [offer] from Sacramento. And I'm like, 'Nah I'm cool.' Like, I want to stay with the Clippers, so I take the three-year, $40 mil [deal] from the Clippers," Beverley said.

"We go to the meeting at the Ritz in Marina Del Rey and we agree to the three-year, $40 mil [deal], and Steve Ballmer goes, 'With that, I'm gonna give you 94 basketball courts that you could choose to put all around LA.' That's fire as f–k!"

Beverley did say that the Clippers did get a few of the basketball courts done with before COVID-19 closed it all down. The agreement with owner Steve Ballmer was a handshake deal and Beverley now is looking for the team to make good on the promise.

Los Angeles just built a brand new arena so Beverley believes this is as good a time as any to honor the deal.

"I think they built two of them and then COVID hit, so I hit my agent and I'm like, 'What's up with those 92 basketball courts?'" Beverley continued. "I see they just built the arena worth $2 billion."

"I need 92 more courts. I got a lot going on I want to do for the city of Los Angeles. I got 92 courts I want to build still."

It remains to be seen if the Clippers will honor the agreement that Beverley is claiming took place. But he seems intent on making it happen in some form or another.

The veteran guard has also been looking to potentially get back into the NBA down the line. He reportedly has been recruited by teams and could find his way back to the league sooner rather than later.

More Ball Around: Hapoel Tel Aviv's Patrick Beverley Reportedly Being Recruited by NBA Teams Midseason