Patrick Beverley has recalled the contract negotiations that preceded his departure from the Los Angeles Clippers, saying he turned down more money from the Sacramento Kings because he wanted to remain with the Clippers.
“I signed a three-year $40 million contract with the Clippers. I turned down a three-year $50 million with Sacramento just to stay with the Clippers,” Beverley said on Thanalysis Show, via HoopsHype.
Beverley joined the Clippers in 2017 and became a key member of the team that reached the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history during the 2020-21 playoffs.
The veteran guard said his role in that breakthrough remains an important part of his connection to the franchise. He pointed to the number of high-profile point guards who had previously played for the Clippers, including James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul and Rajon Rondo.
“They had a plethora of point guards that just can never help them get over the hump, but I was part of that starting five that helped them finally, first time ever, get to the Western Conference Finals,” Beverley said.
Beverley also recalled a separate episode from his Clippers tenure involving contract negotiations and Kawhi Leonard. According to Beverley, the initial offer represented a relatively small difference from what he wanted, prompting him to contact Leonard.
“The no was like four to five million dollars total for one year. I left the meeting, I called Kawhi, and then they called me back down and my agent said they lifted it up to six to eight million,” Beverley said.
He questioned why the Clippers needed to involve Leonard in the situation given his own tenure with the organization.
“Then I’m like, okay, well I definitely want to go for sure, because why do you need to call Kawhi for anything when I’ve been here the longest?” Beverley said.
Beverley ultimately left Los Angeles during the 2021 offseason, when the Clippers traded him, Rajon Rondo and Daniel Oturu to the Memphis Grizzlies for Eric Bledsoe. He was subsequently traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves before the 2021-22 season.
His arrival in Minnesota became part of a significant moment in the franchise’s history. Beverley recalled that the Timberwolves’ first playoff opponent was his former team, the Clippers, with Minnesota attempting to end a 16-year playoff drought.
“The first team we play against is the Clippers, and if we win, Minnesota gets into the playoffs after 16 years,” Beverley said.
Minnesota ultimately defeated Los Angeles in the 2022 Play-In Tournament, overcoming a 12-point halftime deficit to win 109-104 and secure the seventh seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
Beverley averaged 9.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 58 regular-season games for Minnesota that season. He started 54 games and provided veteran leadership to a team that had not reached the playoffs since 2018.
Beverley’s NBA career included 666 regular-season games across 12 seasons, during which he averaged 8.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists while shooting 37.1% from three-point range. He also earned two All-Defensive Second Team selections.
