Trade For Patrick Beverley Ends Wolves’ Juan Hernangomez Drama

Timberwolves president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas is familiar with new guard Patrick Beverley from their days together with the Rockets, as relayed by Chris Hine of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Beverely was acquired by the Wolves in an agreed-upon deal that will send shooting guard Jarrett Culver and forward Juan Hernangomez to the Grizzlies.

It was the second trade in two days for Beverley, who was sent to Memphis from the Clippers in a deal involving Eric Bledsoe on Monday.

Beverley, 33, played five seasons for the Rockets, when Rosas was there as an assistant general manager and current Wolves coach Chris Finch was an assistant.

Beverley now joins a Minnesota backcourt that includes the likes of 2020 No. 1 overall pick Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell.

Meanwhile, it brings to an end the failed experiment involving former lottery pick Culver, as well as some drama involving Hernangomez.

“There was a disagreement between the Wolves and Hernangomez regarding his participation in the Olympics for Spain,” Hine reported. “The Wolves prevented Hernangomez from playing for Spain after Hernangomez suffered a shoulder injury in practices leading up to the Games.

“The Spanish team claimed the Wolves cleared him to play only for the team to block him from participating. That led to disappointment in Hernangomez’s camp toward the Wolves.”

Beverley is 6-foot-1 and in the final year of a contract that will pay him $13.4 million next season.

He averaged 7.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 37 games last season, and remains one of the NBA’s peskiest backcourt defenders.

“Beverley also isn’t afraid to speak his mind and irritate other players on the floor,” Hine noted. “He will miss the first game of next season after he was suspended for shoving Chris Paul during a break in the action in the Suns-Clippers Western Conference finals.”