Report: Patrick Beverley Agrees to 1-Year 76ers Contract After Lakers, Bulls Stints

Veteran point guard Patrick Beverley agreed to a one-year, $3.2 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday, per Chris Haynes of B/R and TNT.

The 34-year-old is the exception to the rule when it comes to teams going bargain-hunting in the buyout market after the trade deadline.

Beverley was sacrificed amid the Los Angeles Lakers' midseason reset, getting sent to the Orlando Magic in February. In 45 games with the Lakers, he averaged 6.4 points and 2.6 assists and shot 40.2 percent from the field.

The Magic waived Beverley a few days after the trade, and he signed with the Chicago Bulls on Feb. 21, bringing the Windy City native back to his hometown. His numbers to finish out the year weren't all that impressive. He shot 39.5 percent from the floor, including 30.9 percent on threes, while averaging 5.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists.

Beverley's impact on Chicago was undeniable, though.

When he arrived, the Bulls were seven games under .500 (26-33) and 11th in the Eastern Conference. The franchise was facing the worst-case scenario of missing the postseason altogether and sending its first-round pick to the Orlando Magic.

Although that outcome did come to pass, Chicago made a strong push over the stretch run. After Beverley made his debut, it went 13-9 with him in the lineup and wound up moving up to 10th, which at least meant a play-in tournament berth.

DeMar DeRozan told reporters in March the three-time All-Defensive honoree provided "a different type of leadership."

"The man does everything," DeRozan said. "(It's) electrifying, especially when we're at home. It gets the crowd going, and you've got to feed off of that when you see a guy sacrificing himself for big plays and to save a possession. It carries over from there."

Beverley had a similar effect on the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2021-22. He brought a competitive edge and held his teammates accountable in a way they needed to be challenged after three straight losing seasons.

You can't help but wonder whether Minnesota's front office regrets including Beverley in the Rudy Gobert trade after Wolves won four fewer games in 2022-23.

It's possible his general demeanor has a bit of a shelf life. There's no getting around his on-court limitations, either, which become more glaring in the playoffs. He has never been a great shooter or playmaker, and his defensive contributions only go so far to making up for it.

That the Bulls are opting against a reunion further solidifies Beverley's journeyman status at this point in his career.

Beyond the fact he was a positive presence on the team, Chicago's decision is a bit surprising when factoring in the uncertain status of Lonzo Ball moving forward. The reported deal with Jevon Carter might have left general manager Marc Eversley with enough confidence to let Beverley walk.

As for the Sixers, Beverley will bring toughness and defensive intensity off the bench, though all eyes are on the ongoing James Harden saga and whether the Sixers might be able to turn him into enough assets to get themselves into the Damian Lillard sweepstakes.

However that shakes out, having solid veterans around Joel Embiid is key as the Sixers chase a title. Beverley is a nice addition for a team that saw its depth take a hit this offseason after Shake Milton signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Georges Niang signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers.