Timberwolves, Patrick Beverley agree to one-year extension
Feb. 15—Patrick Beverley played a large role in changing Minnesota's culture. The veteran guard has infused confidence, competitiveness and a more defensive mindset into a young roster. All of that has played a large role in the massive uptick in wins this season.
The Timberwolves rewarded the veteran guard with a one-year, $13 million extension agreed to Monday, a source confirmed to the Pioneer Press.
The deal keeps Beverley, who was set to become a free-agent this summer, in Minnesota through the 2022-23 campaign. The extension number is just a tick below Beverley's $14.3 million cap hit this season. He has proven worth that type of figure given his on- and off-court impact on a team that hasn't won much over the last 15-plus years.
His placement as D'Angelo Russell's backcourt mate helps hide Russell's on-ball defensive ineffectiveness, one of the reasons the starting lineup that includes Beverley has proven so effective this season until its recent dip in defensive aptitude.
The 33-year-old guard has struggled with injuries in recent years, and has missed one-third of the Wolves' games this season. But when he's available, he's impactful. Beverley sports the team's fifth-best net rating to date, with the Wolves outscoring opponents by 4.3 points per 100 possessions when he's on the floor.
Beverley's camp had been in search of a mid-season extension. Minnesota only signing the veteran through next season helps maintain the team's long-term financial flexibility, as the contracts of Beverley, Russell and Malik Beasley could come off the books in the summer of 2023.
