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Patrick Beverley shared his excitement about joining the LA Lakers on Twitter. The 3x All-Defensive guard returns to LA after a one-year absence. He previously played for the LA Clippers for four years before getting traded to the Memphis Grizzlies and eventually to the Minnesota Timberwolves last campaign.
LA had Beverley as one of their trade targets this offseason. The player has also expressed his desire to play alongside LeBron James over the summer.
While Lakers fans were happy to have him aboard, other NBA fans hilariously warned the former Clippers guard. They also poked fun at him as this is the fourth time he has been traded in a year.
One fan wrote on Twitter:
"Bro's getting passed around the league like a blunt"
Another added:
"Bruh was trying to become a laker since the off season lol"
Here are some more reactions:
Revisited: Patrick Beverley says the LA Lakers would've made the Western Conference Finals with him last season
The LA Lakers recorded one of their most disappointing seasons in franchise history last campaign. They finished with a 33-49 record, 11th in the Western Conference. They missed the play-in tournament despite being the preseason favorites to reach the NBA Finals.
Russell Westbrook had an underwhelming debut season, while Anthony Davis endured an injury-riddled campaign. LA struggled to be efficient on the defensive end of the floor throughout the year. They retained only Talen Horton-Tucker from the previous campaign and had to let go of defensive stalwarts Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Alex Caruso.
Patrick Beverley made a bold claim during an appearance on one of ESPN's talk shows. He said the LA Lakers, as constructed last season, would've made the Western Conference Finals with him on the roster. He claimed he would have joined the 17-time NBA champions if he had been a free agent last campaign.
Patrick Beverley cited playing alongside LeBron James and sharing the backcourt with Russell Westbrook as the reason behind his interest in playing for the Lakers. Meanwhile, he believes the Lakers would've made the Conference Finals because of his leadership skills and ability to hold superstars like LeBron accountable.
The LA Lakers aren't considered a lock to make a deep playoff run despite acquiring Patrick Beverley. However, it would be harsh to deny that his addition has been an upgrade for them.
His defensive skills and intensity are something the Lakers lacked last year. It may prove to be decisive for the team if they make a surprise run next campaign.
