Report: Lakers near trade to acquire Patrick Beverley from Jazz

Darvin Ham has come in preaching defense first as the way to turn this team around. Now he has his prophet to spread that message.

The Lakers are close to a trade for veteran point guard Patrick Beverley, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The Los Angeles Lakers are in advanced talks on a trade to acquire Utah Jazz guard Patrick Beverley for Talen Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson, sources tell ESPN. Deal could be finalized as soon as Thursday.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 25, 2022

Lakers and Jazz are expected to finalize the deal on Thursday morning, delivering Beverley to LA after a brief stayover with Jazz. No picks involved in the deal, per sources. https://t.co/s4FjjrHu4q

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 25, 2022

Beverley is a quality defensive point guard who has a reputation as an irritant for other teams, but also a leader who holds guys on his own team accountable. Last season in Minnesota he was seen as one of the lynchpins that turned the Timberwolves’ defense from one of the bottom five in the league to middle of the pack (he was traded to Utah in the Rudy Gobert deal). Ham is hoping he can have the same impact on the Lakers.

Beverley also averaged 9.2 points and 4.6 assists a game last season for the Timberwolves, shooting 34.3% from 3. He’s a positive offensive player who can work off the ball.

A few other initial thoughts on this trade.

• Having Beverley gives Ham a hardened, tough veteran point guard he can trust at the end of games. Ham has the authority to bench Russell Westbrook if he is not contributing on that end of the floor, Beverley gives Ham a solid other option to lean on.

• Beverley was a popular member of the Clippers in Los Angeles as that team built itself up, and he still