Patrick Beverley is on the move for the second time this summer.
The Los Angeles Lakers appear to have made a late offseason move Wednesday night, with multiple reports indicating they are close to acquiring veteran point guard Patrick Beverley from the Utah Jazz.
Talen Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson would go to Utah in exchange.
Beverley was seen as a key contributor to the Minnesota Timberwolves’ return to the playoffs last season, starting 54 games and averaging 9.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game while shooting 34.3% with triples. Included as part of the five-player, five-pick package for Rudy Gobert in July, Beverley will go through Utah without suiting up for the Jazz. Barring more moves from the Lakers, Beverley would find himself in the backcourt alongside Russell Westbrook, with whom he shares a controversial history.
Horton-Tucker plateaued in his third season with LA, despite playing a bigger role (25.2 mpg vs. 20.1 in 2020-21). Johnson, originally drafted No. 8 overall by Detroit in 2015, stuck with the Lakers after a few 10-day contracts, averaging 6.7 ppg and 3.2 rpg in 22.8 mpg in 48 games (27 starts).
The Lakers and Jazz are expected to finalize the deal Thursday morning, dealing Beverley to LA after a brief stint with the Jazz. There is no selection involved in the deal, according to sources.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 25, 2022
ESPN story on the Lakers finalizing a trade to acquire guard Patrick Beverley:
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 25, 2022
Jazz are trading Patrick Beverley to Lakers for Talen Horton-Tucker, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 25, 2022
And Johnson. Yes. quick tweet
— Sarah Todd (@NBASArah) August 25, 2022
Shortly after news of the trade broke, Beverley took to Twitter and posted a praying hands emoji. Beverley’s move to Utah continues an offseason of turnover for the Jazz in which they traded swingman 3 and D Royce O’Neale to Brooklyn in June and trade rumors surrounding All-Star point guard Donovan Mitchell have been swirling for weeks .
🙏🏾
— Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) August 15, 2022