Before the trade deadline, the Chicago Bulls jumped out to a 26-33 record. It seemed as though they were headed for a top-10 pick in the draft. However, after the deadline, they went 14-13, including 13-9 with Patrick Beverley in the lineup, who Chicago signed after he was traded to the Orlando Magic and bought out.
Beverly has not been shy about her thoughts. The team was clearly better with him in the lineup, and he knows it. So, when the Bulls tweeted out an appreciation post for Zach LaVine, Beverley quickly shared his thoughtspointing out how much better LaVine was post-trade deadline.
LaVine put up All-Star-caliber numbers all season long, but after the deadline, his efficiency improved. And once Beverley was added to Chicago’s lineup, LaVine got even better.
Prior to the trade deadline, LaVine averaged 23.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game on 46.9 percent shooting from the floor and 37.3 percent shooting from deep.
In the 22 games LaVine played with Beverly, he averaged 27.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game on 53.2 percent shooting from the field and 39.4 percent shooting from behind the three-point line.
Obviously, one section of the season was a much larger sample size, but the one major factor that changed between the two stretches was Beverley’s presence.
Beverley is now an unrestricted free agent, meaning he can sign with whatever team he wants this summer. However, considering how much better Chicago was with him in the lineup and the fact that their guard depth is shoddy, re-signing Beverley should be a top priority this summer.
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Story originally appeared on Lonzo Wire