Patrick Beverley took part in one practice with the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday before Zach LaVine determined his leadership style is what the team was missing.
“Pat don’t want me to pass the ball,” LaVine told reporters after the practice. “You know, obviously, I’m going to play my game either way. But Pat, he’s going to be great for all of us. He holds people accountable from the best player on the team to the coaching staff to the film guys, all the way down to the guys on the two-way contracts. That’s what you want. I think that’s what we needed.”
LaVine is in the first year of a five-year, $215.2 million contract with the Bulls. Beverley, 34, signed with the Bulls — his hometown team — earlier this week after the Orlando Magic acquired him in a four-team trade and negotiated a buyout.
The Bulls, 11th in the Eastern Conference at 26-33, lost six consecutive games entering the All-Star break. LaVine was discussed in trades at the deadline two weeks ago, and ESPN reported he was close to being sent to the New York Knicks.
Instead, Chicago chased Russell Westbrook after a buyout with the Utah Jazz. Westbrook opted to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers, one of Beverley’s former teams.
Beverley’s defensive intensity and willingness to speak his mind are qualities LaVine said the Bulls were missing in the locker room.
“I was trying to get Pat here at least a year or two ago. Been texting him,” he said. “We used to be at the same agency. He’s somebody you hate to play against but love as a teammate. You know what he brings, the type of mentality he brings. We’ve been missing that. And I think we’ve been missing that since Thad (Young) was here, a vocal leader, somebody who is very out and open about how he thinks about things and how he approaches the game.
“At this point in the season, where we’re trying to get back to where we need (to be), we need a spark. We needed anything we could. Pat is somebody who can fill a lot of different roles. So we’re just happy to have him.”
–Field Level Media