Los Angeles Clippers: Patrick Beverley not worth his asking price

Many fans want to see the Los Angeles Clippers re-sign fan-favorite point guard Patrick Beverley, however, he is not worth the contract he is requesting.

The Los Angeles Clippers have a lot of things to handle this offseason. Not only is the team in hot pursuit of a second superstar, but the front office needs to figure out what to do with the remaining cap space as well.

The perfect scenario would be filling out a roster that is deep enough to contend around a star, like Kawhi Leonard, while also keeping financially flexible in the future. Luckily, the Clippers can accomplish this with Danilo Gallinari‘s contract coming off the books next season.

With the team in a good financial situation, many fans are hoping that the front office brings back fan-favorite point guard, Patrick Beverley. Beverley has won over the fans with his brash style of play and elite defense in his two years in LA and is now an unrestricted free agent.

And while getting an elite defensive player like Beverley to play in the backcourt would be great for a contending team, the Clippers simply should not meet Beverley’s new reported contract demands.

ESPN’s Tim Macmahon reported that Beverley is seeking a deal in the three-year range worth over $40 million. Assuming he gets paid $40-45 million, Beverley’s annual salary would fall somewhere between $13 and $15 million.

Beverley has earned the chance to get paid and there will be a team that is willing to pay that costs for an elite defensive guard. The thing with the Los Angeles Clippers, simply put, is that the team does not need Beverley enough to pay him that kind of money.

I know, you probably disagree, but just look at the Clippers’ current depth chart. The Clippers have eight players that are currently under contract for next season before free agency; six of those eight players fall in the backcourt.

And it isn’t like the Clippers have just mediocre players in the backcourt, either. 2018 first-round pick Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the more promising point guards in the league and deserves an uptick in minutes. Behind him is a gem of a trade pick up in young point guard, Landry Shamet.

At shooting guard, the Clippers have the best six man in the league in Lou Williams and another young player in Jerome Robinson, albeit he hasn’t shown the same potential as Gilgeous-Alexander. Throw in Sindarius Thornwell and Tyrone Wallace and the Clippers already have a deep enough backcourt.

Plus, if the team signs Kawhi Leonard, then there is a good chance that either Leonard or Gallinari will play the two with the other at the three, Montrezl Harrell at the four and a true center acquisition at the five.

The Clippers’ biggest focus should be adding size, and while in a perfect world they could add Beverley and size, they cannot in the real world with Beverley’s reported asking price.

Sometimes you just have to let go of one of your favorite players as the team would be better going in a different direction. This is the case with Patrick Beverley and the Los Angeles Clippers.