With the 2023-24 NBA season’s trade deadline behind us, fans got to see multiple teams exchange players for picks, other additional pieces, and more. One such trade that caught the attention of the crew of NBA Today was Patrick Beverley getting acquired by the Milwaukee Bucks. While this trade may seem good on paper for the Bucks, co-hosts Kendrick Perkins and Austin Rivers seemed to have different opinions on Milwaukee’s latest move.
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The latest episode of ESPN’s NBA Today delivered a spirited debate among former NBA players turned analysts, Kendrick Perkins and Austin Rivers. And the two seemed to have opposing takes on the Beverley trade.
Kendrick Perkins made the argument that the arrival of Patrick Beverley would bring some accountability into the organization. He pinned a part of the blame on Giannis Antetokounmpo, who he felt had not been the same defensive threat that he was in his previous years.
According to Perkins, having Patrick Beverley’s presence in the locker room would be a huge plus as he would be a strong voice that could hold Antetokounmpo accountable for his lack of aggressiveness on defense.
“Go ask any great player that done play with Pat Bev how they feel about him when he’s on their team. I done heard LeBron James say it out of his mouth…When he first got to that team, he(LeBron James) said, Patrick Beverley is a guy that I hated when he was on the other team, I love him now when’s on the team.”
Austin Rivers went on to make his point after Perkins and even Richard Jefferson gave his take. Rivers agreed with the fact that Patrick Beverley was brought to the team for his defense and his voice in the locker room. What he didn’t agree with was Beverley being able to hold Giannis Antetokounmpo accountable.
“Giannis has to be accountable for his own damn self. It can’t just be from Pat Beverley. It’s gotta start at the top. I understand he has a voice but when people look at the locker room for someone to be the guy and have a voice that really, really, really matters, it’s the best player in the team.”
Both analysts make some valid points during their back-and-forth on live television. But Austin Rivers may have gotten the edge with his take in their debate. Patrick Beverley is a 12-year veteran known for his aggressive defense on the perimeter. Not only that but he also has an excellent locker-room presence as well.
But to reiterate Rivers’s point, Beverley may be a defensive stopper but the best player on the team is still Giannis Antetokounmpo. And the team often looks to the best player on the squad during tough times.
And to make an argument for Perkins’ take, Giannis Antetokounmpo is an NBA champion whereas Beverley has yet to win a ring. So, whether The Greek Freak listens to a player who only has one extra year of playing experience in the league and no championship ring is something that could go either way.
Will the addition of Patrick Beverley benefit the Bucks?
After winning only two of their last eight matchups, the Milwaukee Bucks have fallen to the third spot in the Eastern Conference. With a 33-19 record, many analysts and even fans around the league have blamed the Bucks’ lackluster defense on the perimeter and even went so far as to blame Damian Lillard for the team’s shortcomings.
So, the addition of Patrick Beverley is something many are hoping will fill the gap that was left by Jrue Holiday. Beverley’s defensive abilities not only lie in stealing and deflecting balls but also in harassing opposing players while on defense.
Patrick Beverley tends to get into a player’s head with his constant trash-talking and aggressive defense. This automatically results in turnovers and the opposing player losing his cool eventually. But one point of concern for many has been Beverley’s past relationship with All-Star point guard, Damian Lillard. Patrick Beverley and Damian Lillard have locked horns on numerous occasions in the past.
Judging by Beverley’s track record in the past, both players must have some animosity towards one another. The two even got into a feud on X(formerly Twitter) after facing one another on the court. However, now that the 6’2 defensive guard has been traded to the Bucks, he displayed an urge to rectify his past altercations with the seven-time All-Star.
Now that Patrick Beverley and Damian Lillard will be on the same team, the former guard is looking to patch things up with Dame Dolla and win a championship with the Bucks. Let’s see if adding Beverley does help Milwaukee improve after all.
