Minnesota Timberwolves: Instant reactions to the Patrick Beverley trade

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Memphis Grizzlies were certainly up early Tuesday morning making a surprise trade that no one saw coming.

First reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Timberwolves are acquiring Patrick Beverley from the Grizzlies in exchange for Jarrett Culver and Juancho Hernangomez. This marks the second time that Beverley has been traded within the past week as he was packaged in a deal between the Grizzlies and LA Clippers involving Eric Bledsoe and Rajon Rondo.

Wojnarowski noted in a follow-up tweet that Minnesota’s President of Basketball Operations, Gersson Rosas, is somewhat familiar with Beverley as he oversaw the guard during their time together with the Houston Rockets, so he understands what Beverley brings to the table.

While there is plenty to unpack with this trade for both parties involved, it seems like it could be a fitting deal for both sides. Sticking solely with Minnesota, let us dive into what Beverley might bring to the Wolves next season and give an instant reaction to the move.

What does Patrick Beverley bring to the Minnesota Timberwolves following the trade with Memphis Grizzlies?

First and foremost, Beverley brings a much-needed defensive-minded guard to the rotation for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Racking up three All-Defensive nominations throughout his career, the 33-year-old is stellar on that side of the basketball and will give the team a reputable piece to utilize at will. They needed that.

According to NBA.com/stats, the Timberwolves logged the 28th ranked defensive rating in the league last season at 114.5, which will certainly not get the job done. While Beverley’s presence alone does not fix that issue entirely, it will unquestionably help improve their efforts on that end of the floor. The guard is often categorized as an agitator on that side of things due to his antics, which has made him somewhat of an antagonist, but he can help bring some intensity to a Wolves team that needs a spark.

More from Minnesota Timberwolves

• 5 NBA players everyone should be keeping a close eye on in 2023-24
• Ranking the 4 riskiest boom-or-bust NBA teams in 2023–24
• Ranking the 10 championship-less NBA teams by closeness to title
• 1 Crucial skill that every Timberwolves star must work on this summer
• 3 players in line for a big raise during the 2023 NBA offseason

On the offensive end, Beverley’s skill is nothing to write home about, but he is a solid shooter from behind the arc. Knocking down 38.2 percent from three on 4.2 attempts for his career, Beverley will bring more shooting into the fold for Minnesota. Much like his defense, they will need it as they collectively shot just 34.9 percent from deep as a team last year, the 25th ranked mark in the association. Once again, Beverley alone cannot fix that issue, but it is another step in the right direction to help bump up that percentage.

He will also bring a seasoned veteran in the mix for a team that is rather young and inexperienced. Following their trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2004, the Timberwolves have made the postseason just once, which came in 2018, and they are certainly looking to get back onto the big stage. Adding Beverley is by no means a needle-tipping move, but bringing him in shows that this team will be looking to win next season and make a run at the postseason. The veteran guard will join a loaded backcourt rotation with D’Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards, and Malik Beasley, creating an interesting group for head coach Chris Finch to work with.

All in all, this is a solid move for Minnesota. They seemed destined to move on from Culver as he never quite fit and adding Taurean Prince this offseason made Hernangomez expendable. After trading away Ricky Rubio to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Timberwolves were seemingly looking to add a backcourt point guard, and they did solid by adding a defensive ace that can space the floor offensively while bringing some tenacious play and energy to the court.