This past offseason, NBA guard Patrick Beverley left the league after 12 seasons to join Hapoel Tel Aviv of the Israeli Basketball Premier League. However, it appears the 36-year-old is considering a return to the league.
In a recent episode of his podcast, Beverley revealed that he has thought about coming back to the NBA. Furthermore, Beverley admitted that he has received calls from NBA teams, though he cannot reveal who from.
“This week has been kind of tough for us because our big man, Jonathan Motley, all of a sudden, my boy hit us with the pump fake, said he don’t feel safe no more, leaves team. Our leading scorer, the best big man in EuroCup, wants to go to a Euroleague team in Serbia. So now, we just out here with no big man just like, ‘okay, where do we go from here?’ So, of course now people ask me, ‘Ayo Pat, what you going to do?’ because some NBA teams called, they told me I can’t say who. EuroLeague teams called, Real Madrid called, couple other EuroLeague teams out there, to see ‘Okay, are you guys blowing it up, what’s going on?'”
PB has a lot to think about and decisions to make 🙏 @patbev21 pic.twitter.com/J3yUrUyfmv
— Pat Bev Pod (@PatBevPod) November 6, 2024
Patrick Beverley Is Considering an NBA Return
Patrick Beverley’s Controversial End to the 2023-24 NBA Season
Beverley most recently played with the Milwaukee Bucks. However, the end of his Bucks career ended on a sour note. After the Bucks’ season-ending Game 6 loss to the Indiana Pacers in the playoffs, Beverley got into an altercation with a fan, throwing a basketball at them multiple times. Additionally, Beverley had what many considered a disrespectful interaction with ESPN’s Malinda Adams, who he refused to answer questions for. The NBA suspended Beverley for four games because of his actions. In July, NBA insider Marc Stein said that if Beverley returns to the NBA, his suspension would carry over regardless of the team he is on.
The four-game suspension Beverley received after Milwaukee’s season ended in May would transfer to a new team if he returns to the NBA.
More NBA from me: https://t.co/A6ycVmnZ8Y https://t.co/4e2IfNEQ48
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) July 16, 2024
The Last Word
Beverley can still provide value to NBA teams, but it is clear his best days are behind him. Once a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, the Chicago native has played for five teams since 2021. He provides a veteran presence and is still a pesky defender. However, with his controversies and suspension, it is unclear how coveted Beverley is in the NBA at this point. Additionally, he is 36 years old and does not offer much long-term value. He may be a fit for a contending team, but that remains to be seen.
Reports at the time indicated that Beverley signed a two-year, $4 million contract. It is not known if there is an opt-out clause. However, given Beverley’s comments, it is fair to assume there is. The NBA season is still very young, and there is plenty of time for Beverley to join a team before the end of the campaign.
