When the Minnesota Timberwolves sent guard Patrick Beverley to the Utah Jazz in July, the feeling between Beverley and the Timberwolves seemed mutual. They both understood that this is a business, no hard feelings. When trading for the best defender currently walking the globe, you have to give up talent to retain it.
However, Beverley recently provided a more candid look into his bitterness following his departure from the Twin Cities.
“When I get the call for the trade, I feel like the call should’ve came from the coach,” said Beverley on his podcast, The Pat Bev Podcast with Rone. “That’s where my anger came from. Not eight hours later or seven hours later when the dust is starting to clear.”
Of course, Beverley is using this as ammunition heading into this season as he gears up alongside his good friend, LeBron James, with the Los Angeles Lakers. A team that has been scuffling the past few seasons following a Championship back in 2020. Beverley will now try and help the Lakers return to the postseason as he did for the Wolves.
“Just be real, especially when we have that type of relationship. That was my only issue,” said Beverley in response to Finch not being in contact with him sooner. “But that’s all I need now to play them in the playoffs and smoke their ass. That’s all I need, just that little bit.”
Beverley was only with the Timberwolves for one season. However, he left a lasting impression on everyone during the 64 games he was with the team. Beverley changed the culture for a team that’s not had much to lean on until that point.
When asked why the Timberwolves fan base fell in love with Beverley, most would cite his work ethic on both sides of the ball, leadership, and his trash-talk. No one in the league gets in people’s heads the way Beverley does.
While Beverley is most known for bringing a menace-like mentality, he was also very solid for the Wolves last year. Through 58 games played for the Timberwolves during the regular season, Beverley put up 9.2 points, 4.6 assists, and 4.1 rebounds on 40% from the floor. He impressed the Wolves’ organization so much so that he earned a one-year, $13 million extension with the team midway through last season.
Atop all the positives Beverley brings to the table, one trumps them all – his leadership.
“When it comes to winning a lot of games and making the playoffs, I don’t think they’re [the Timberwolves] going to have a problem there. I think their problem is going to come when things get hard, who’s going to pick [people] up?” Beverley went on to add.
Beverley is one of a kind. No one brings the same edge he does. However, the Wolves have vets that are more than capable of holding guys accountable and leading what still is a somewhat young Timberwolves roster.
Taurean Prince, Austin Rivers, and Kyle Anderson are all guys who come to my mind right away. All three of them bring unique and different skill sets to the table and are very useful. You can even throw Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell into this mix as they are both entering their eighth season in the NBA.
Beverley matched up against the Wolves Wednesday night for the first time since being traded. While this may have only been preseason, don’t tell that to Pat Bev. Watching Beverley wreak havoc on the defensive side of the ball and not being in Wolves’ blue reminded fans just how annoying it is to play against him.
Beverley finished with 10 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals on 37% from the floor, and 20% from three as the Wolves beat the Lakers 118-113. With Beverley’s play style, it’s hard to decipher whether he was trying to prove something or not. However, making the call that he was indeed trying to prove to Wolves management that trading him was the wrong move may not be far off from the truth.
Beverley may not have had the day of reckoning he was hoping for going into Wednesday’s contest. However, P.B will matchup against the Wolves three times this season:
- Friday, Oct. 28th @ Target Center
- Friday, Mar. 3rd @ Crypto.com Arena
- Friday, Mar. 31st @ Target Center
Filling the void that Patrick Beverley leaves on any team is never easy. However, the Wolves have guys who can hold things down. And while the end of Beverley’s time in Minnesota may not have been the way he or the team would have liked, a lasting impression was still made on the organization and he will be circling his matchups against the Wolves for many years to come.
