Former NBA guard Patrick Beverley, now playing for Hapoel Tel-Aviv, recently shared his thoughts on the impact of Los Angeles Lakers fans on the team’s ability to make trades. According to Beverley, the intense criticism from fans can actually hurt the trade value of Lakers players.
During a recent episode of the Pat Bev Pod, Beverley explained that while Lakers fans are knowledgeable and passionate about the game, their vocal negativity toward players can backfire.
“The Laker fans, the real ones, they know basketball because they’ve seen it a lot, they’ve been through it a lot,” Beverley said, via HoopsHype. “What they don’t understand is their effect on making their own team better. They talk so bad about their players that they actually decrease their value.”
Beverley, who spent time with the Lakers during the 2022-23 season, went on to elaborate that this criticism creates difficulties in trade negotiations. He noted that when teams look to trade with the Lakers, they know that the fanbase’s reaction can push player values lower.
“Now when a trade comes, and any team like, we had Mark Cuban on, he said there were plenty of teams that he would love to do deals with, if you want to make a trade with the Lakers, ain’t nobody just giving you sh*t,” Beverley added.
This sentiment echoes frustrations that have been shared by players and front offices alike. According to Beverley, teams are less inclined to make trades with the Lakers because of the negative attention their players face from fans.
“Any trade you have has to be that someone goes, ‘No, we want this, no and we want this,'” he continued. “Obviously because you’re the Lakers, no one’s trying to help the Los Angeles Lakers as far as trade wise, management wise, and getting players that they want back.”
The Lakers’ large and vocal fanbase creates immense pressure on the front office to build a championship contender. However, this pressure may also have unintended consequences when it comes to acquiring the necessary talent through trades.
Further adding to his point, Beverley highlighted the disparity in how other teams are treated in trade talks. “Okay cool, we know you guys want this guy? He’s a second-round pick to every other team but to the Lakers, he’s two first-round picks, f*ck it. No one’s trying to help the Lakers,” Beverley concluded.
