The Los Angeles Lakers look to have made a late offseason move Wednesday night, with multiple reports indicating they’re on the cusp of acquiring veteran point guard Patrick Beverley from the Utah Jazz.
Talen Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson would be off to Utah in exchange.
Beverley was viewed 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% on 3-pointers. Included as part of the five-player, five-pick package for Rudy Gobert in July, Beverley will pass through Utah without suiting up for the Jazz. Barring any further moves by the Lakers, Beverley would be in the backcourt mix alongside Russell Westbrook, with whom he shares a contentious history.
Horton-Tucker plateaued in his third season with L.A., despite playing a larger role (25.2 mpg vs. 20.1 in 2020-21). Johnson, originally drafted No. 8 overall by Detroit in 2015, latched on with the Lakers following a few 10-day contracts, ultimately averaging 6.7 ppg and 3.2 rpg in 22.8 mpg in 48 games (27 starts).
Lakers and Jazz are expected to finalize the deal on Thursday morning, delivering Beverley to LA following a brief stayover with Jazz. No picks involved in the deal, per sources. https://t.co/s4FjjrHu4q
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 25, 2022
ESPN story on the Lakers finalizing a trade to acquire guard Patrick Beverley: https://t.co/FmGqyUE3cG
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 25, 2022
The Jazz are trading Patrick Beverley to the Lakers for Talen Horton-Tucker, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 25, 2022
And Johnson. Yes. Quick tweeting. https://t.co/8DSs4az94x
— Sarah Todd (@NBASarah) August 25, 2022
Shortly following news of the trade broke, Beverley took to Twitter and posted a praying hands emoji. The move of Beverley to Utah continues an offseason of change for the Jazz in which they traded 3-and-D swingman Royce O’Neale to Brooklyn in June and have had trade rumors swirling around All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell for weeks now.
???????? https://t.co/42pXVbgewT
— Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) August 15, 2022