It’s been well-documented that the Phoenix Suns don’t have any financial flexibility as it relates to signing free agents. They can only offer a veteran minimum contract, which means they’re not likely to get a true difference-maker. However, they can address their need for veteran depth, intensity and a man-to-man defender to take the pressure off the stars.
He’s far from a Phoenix fan favorite, but journeyman sparkplug Patrick Beverley fits the bill. After playing five seasons with the Houston Rockets and four with the Los Angeles Clippers, Beverley has bounced around, playing for five different franchises since the 2021-22 season, though his defensive production is still effective enough to take a flier on him.
The Suns Could Use a Villain
A major issue with the 2023-24 Suns was that they seemed…for lack of a better term…soft. When opposing teams proverbially punched them in the mouth, they didn’t respond. Similar to how a hockey team has a fourth-line enforcer to protect their stars, the Suns need someone to help set the tone.
One thing everyone can agree upon is that Beverley is a pest, in the best way. He’s the type of defender no player wants to face, but everyone loves to have on their team. He’ll be on your hip, in your ear and under your skin for every minute that he’s on the court. The psychological effect of a player like that can’t be measured, but it’s extremely valuable.
Numbers Say He’s Still Got It (On Defense)
Beverley will be 36 before the 2024-25 NBA season tips off, and while his offense has vacillated between below-average to not good, Father Time has largely left his defense alone.
In 2023-24 for the Milwaukee Bucks, Beverley regularly shut down the opposition, holding them to 2.7% worse field goal percentage than their season average. It was even better outside 15 feet, where he kept them 4.0% under their average (via NBA.com/stats)
Although the sample size was small, Beverley stepped his game up more in the Bucks playoff series against the Indiana Pacers, holding his man to just 17.4% shooting from the 3-point line and 21.4% shooting from outside 15 feet.
His Suns Role
As of now, the Suns don’t have a proven point guard and like last year, they’ll probably start Bradley Beal and Devin Booker at the two guard spots, blurring the positional lines a bit. They’ll need bench depth — at least one, if not two — other players who can facilitate and handle running the offensive sets. Collin Gillespie was brought in on a two-way contract, but he suffered a fractured right leg before his rookie season and sprained his left knee in 2023-24, appearing in just 24 games for the Denver Nuggets.
Between Kevin Durant, Beal and Booker, the Suns have plenty of scoring. If Beverley can pair with one of those three in a bench-centric unit, acting as that facilitator and spot-up shooter, he’ll fit in just fine offensively.
The real value comes from Beverley’s ability to pick up his man and defend one-on-one in open space. The energy that he brings a team (sometimes offset by previous antics) raises the levels of everyone on the court and aside from an offensive run, it’s something the Suns lacked on defense a year ago.
All in all, Beverley still has gas in the tank. The Suns need more toughness and the ability of Beverley to wear on the opposing point guards would be an energy saver for the starters. He’s worth a flier, and would likely relish the opportunity to play with another contender.
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