When the Lakers agreed to trade Talen Horton-Tucker to the Jazz for Patrick Beverley, Los Angeles added two key elements to its team that were missing last season: three-point shooting and strong perimeter defense.
As one of the better three-and-D players in the league along with his underrated playmaking abilities, Beverley could be the ideal piece on both sides of the ball for Los Angeles and the perfect role player alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Per ESPN Stats and Info, the twitchy guard allowed opponents to shoot 41.9% as the closest defender, the second-best percentage within the past five years.
He also connected on more than or close to 40% percent of his shots from beyond the arc in six of the past seven seasons, giving the Lakers a much-needed boost in this category.
