LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Patrick Beverley, a 10-year National Basketball Association point guard, confirmed Thursday he has been traded from the Utah Jazz to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Multiple reports had the Lakers sending Talen Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson to the Jazz in exchange for the 34-year-old who helped spark Minnesota into last season’s playoffs.
“Woke up a Laker,” tweeted Beverley.
Beverley would be in the backcourt mix with Russell Westbrook for the Lakers as LeBron James and company try and return to the playoffs after missing out last season.
“Can’t wait for him to go off this season,” James tweeted of Beverley, to which his new teammate replied, “Same it’s on.”
Lakers legend Magic Johnson tweeted, “I used to hate Beverley when he played against my Lakers lol but now I love him because he’s on our team and he’s going to help my Lakers get to the playoffs!”
Beverley — who played in Ukraine, Greece and Russia in his younger days — made his NBA debut with Houston in 2013 and also played for the Los Angeles Clippers before being traded to Minnesota last August.
He averaged 9.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists a game in helping the Timberwolves reach the playoffs for only the second time since 2004.
Beverley was part of a five-player and five NBA Draft-pick package sent to the Jazz last month for French star big man Rudy Gobert.