The Los Angeles Clippers traded point guards Patrick Beverley and Rajon Rondo along with center Daniel Oturu to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for point guard Eric Bledsoe on Sunday.
In making this move, LA ended a memorable four-year relationship with Beverley – a polarizing defensive stalwart who brought a certain level of toughness and grit to a roster that was severely lacking in that department.
Despite his appeal and status as the longest-tenured player on the roster, last season Beverley averaged 7.5 points per game and appeared in just 37 outings.
This obviously made him expendable.
Following the trade, Beverley offered a surprising message on Twitter regarding what transpired.
Grit and Grind. Let’s GO🏀🏀
— Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) August 16, 2021
Beverley is known for taking everything personally and being a bit petty, so his good-natured response to the Grizzlies trade caught some people off guard. Mind you, this is a guy who talked down to one of the NBA’s most respected women because he didn’t like what she had to say. So him handling this well is stunning in its own right.
In a lot of ways, this move isn’t particularly surprising. LA saved a ton of money by dumping Beverley and Rondo, and Kawhi Leonard didn’t seem to be a particularly big fan of Beverley’s.
Wow D’Angelo Russell. https://t.co/1lJSdt365O
— Game 7 (@game7__) August 15, 2021
It will be interesting to see how, with Beverley now in tow, Memphis ultimately does against the likes of the Denver Nuggets (with whom Beverley has beef) and Utah Jazz (with whom Beverley also has beef).
Will Beverley continue to be the noteworthy difference-maker with the Grizzlies that he was during his time with the Clippers? Time will tell.
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A graduate from the University of Texas, Anthony Amador has been credentialed to cover the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and high school games all over the Lone Star State. Currently, his primary beats are the NBA, MLB, NFL and UFC.
