Milwaukee Bucks acquire guard Patrick Beverley from 76ers to bolster defense, trade Robin Lopez to Kings
The Milwaukee Bucks have needed a strong point-of-attack defender on the perimeter since trading Jrue Holiday (and Grayson Allen) to acquire Damian Lillard before training camp. So to do that, the team sacrificed some ball-handling and sent backup point guard Cameron Payne and a 2027 second-round draft pick to the Philadelphia 76ers for Patrick Beverley on Thursday.
In a secondary move, the Bucks traded backup center Robin Lopez to the Sacramento Kings to clear a roster spot.
Beverley, 35, is a 6-foot-2, 180-pound guard and a three-time all-defensive team member (2014, 2017 and 2020). Bucks head coach Doc Rivers coached Beverley in Los Angeles when both were with the Clippers from 2017-20.
Beverley posted a farewell tweet, on the platform currently known as X, to Philadelphia and 76ers general manager Daryl Morey, who brought Beverley into the NBA as a free agent in Houston in 2012.
Beverley wrote, "I wanna Thanks the 76ers Fans and my teammates for allowing me to do my thing. Always love Nurse and EB. Morey is understand the business. You took a chance on me over a decade ago when no one did. Always love."
Beverley, who hosts an eponymous podcast, was streaming online when he was dealt.
“I forgot ‘Beas’ there!” Beverley said of Bucks guard Malik Beasley, who then appeared to take a call from his new teammate. “My boy ‘Beas’ there! Doc gonna let me do my thing there.”
Beverley then said, “I think I gotta suit up tomorrow! We play the Hornets don’t we?” The Bucks play Minnesota, one of Beverley's former teams, Thursday night and then host Charlotte on Friday at Fiserv Forum.
The Journal Sentinel confirmed the trade, which Beverley's podcast initially reported, along with the details of the transaction. The Athletic followed up that Cameron Payne was in the deal and Yahoo! Sports clarified the Bucks sent out their own 2027 second-round pick.
Beverley has averaged almost 20 minutes per game in 47 appearance (five starts), shooting 32.1% from behind the three-point line and averaging 6.3 points per game. In his 12-year career, which began in Houston in 2012, Beverley has averaged 8.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.1 steals.
But he is more known for his defense, which saw him earn defensive player of the year votes in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020.
He signed a one-year, $3.2 million veteran deal with Philadelphia at the start of the season.
Cameron Payne appeared in 47 games with Bucks this season
The Bucks moved on from Payne, the eight-year veteran backup point guard after signing him to a one-year, $2.89 million veteran minimum deal before the start of training camp.
Payne, 29, was the No. 14 pick in the 2015 draft by Oklahoma City. He played for four other teams before signing in Milwaukee, including the 2021 Phoenix Suns that the Bucks bested in the NBA Finals.
Payne appeared in 47 games for the Bucks and shot 39.7% from behind the three-point line and 45.5% overall while averaging 6.2 points and 2.3 assists. His roles fluctuated wildly, however, first under former coach Adrian Griffin and then under Rivers.
Bucks trade Robin Lopez to Kings
ESPN initially reported the deal that moved the 35-year-old center to Sacramento, after which he would be waived. Lopez confirmed the deal later in humorous tweets on X.
Lopez wrote, "I enjoyed being teammates with Patrick Beverley for all of an hour and 45 minutes I'll never forget those times" and replied to a fan saying he was a Kings legend with, "I just hope it's enough to get my number in the rafters I hope I left a legacy there."
Lopez was signed to a one-year veteran deal last summer, which was his second stint with the Bucks. He played in 16 games this season and started twice in the last week as his brother, Brook, was out for personal reasons. Robin Lopez scored 18 points and had three blocks in 65 total minutes for Milwaukee this season.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Bucks acquire 76ers' Patrick Beverley, send Robin Lopez to Kings
