Patrick Beverley says he’s leaving NBA to sign with Hapoel Tel Aviv in the Israeli Basketball League


Patrick Beverley had yet to find a new contract in NBA free agency. So it appears the veteran guard is leaving the league for his next deal.

Beverley, 36, is signing with Hapoel Tel Aviv BC of the Israeli Basketball Premier League, according to Beverley himself via his “Pat Bev Pod” social media feed. (A new episode of the podcast has yet to be posted. The most recent show was posted on June 26.)

“They gave me everything I asked for,” Beverley said. “I couldn’t refuse.”

Terms of the contract have not been reported, nor has Beverley revealed them. However, the @PatBevPod account on X said he was choosing between an NBA veteran minimum deal and a “historic” contract in Europe. (Many on social media have pointed out that Israel is not in Europe.)

For a 12-year NBA veteran like Beverley, the veteran minimum would be $3.3 million, which is approximately what he was paid last season. So the presumption is that he was offered more money to play in Israel and perhaps for multiple years.

Beverley finished last season with the Milwaukee Bucks after being traded from the Philadelphia 76ers. He averaged six points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists, while shooting 36% on 3-pointers.

However, Beverley faces a four-game suspension to begin the 2024-25 season after throwing a basketball at fans sitting courtside at Gainbridge Fieldhouse during Game 6 of the first-round playoff series with the Indiana Pacers. (The Bucks lost, 120-98, and were eliminated from the postseason.)

Also factoring into the suspension was Beverley refusing to answer questions from ESPN reporter Malinda Adams because she didn’t subscribe to his podcast.

Beverley began his professional basketball career playing overseas, first in Ukraine and then Greece. He played two seasons in Russia before signing with the Houston Rockets for the 2012-13 season. During his NBA career, Beverley has also played for the Los Angeles Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls.

If Beverley’s NBA career has ended, he will have finished with 666 games (starting 518) with an average of 8.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.1 steals per game. He shot 37% from 3-point range.



Source link