Veteran guard Patrick Beverley stated that he’s seeking a free agent deal that will pay him anywhere from $13 million to $15 million per season.
Beverley offered his opinion on his podcast and indicated (at the 12:42 mark) that since his game hasn’t seen any considerable decline, his salary should remain approximately the same.
“My game hasn’t dropped, so I don’t think my number that I make this year should drop,” Beverley said. “I’m at 13 (million), but the money does go up, so my 13 this year would become 15 next year.”
Beverley turns 35 in July and remains a solid defender who has played in plenty of playoff games throughout his NBA career.
Taken with the 42nd pick of the 2009 NBA Draft, Beverley didn’t play in his first NBA game until 2013, when he signed with the Houston Rockets. After five seasons there, he spent four seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers, which was followed by one year with the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 2021-22 campaign.
Last offseason, Beverley was dealt twice within two months, first to the Utah Jazz and then to the Los Angeles Lakers.
That time with the Lakers was apparently filled with enough conflict that he offered some blunt comments after being traded to the Orlando Magic in February. The Magic subsequently released him, and he was then signed by the Chicago Bulls.
Beverley plays with a definite edge, something that was on full display during the 2022-23 season.
That type of mentality could work well with a team that’s focused on trying to win a championship.
Beverley agreed to a three-year, $40 million deal with the Clippers in 2019, and he then signed a one-year extension with the Timberwolves in February 2022.
It’s clear that Beverley has no intention of taking a pay cut in order to join a team. That’s something that many players in his age bracket have been forced to do over the years as their talents begin to fade.
Of course, there’s no guarantee that a team will agree to pay Beverley the amount that he’s seeking. Yet, given his career resume, he stands a good chance of getting at least another one-year deal in his price range.
