Only a few probably had Patrick Beverley and Trae Young beefing this summer in their bingo cards. However, with Beverley still unable to find a home in the NBA, their feud might not spill over outside the social media arena. The Charlotte Hornets could change that, though, by adding the journeyman to the roster.
It's worth pointing out that Beverley joining the Hornets is nearly impossible. They already have to heartbreakingly let go of two more players before the start of the regular season, and minutes will be hard to come by for their backup guards and wings.
Still, things can change in the following months. Solid performances by Collin Sexton and Spencer Dinwiddie could attract suitors, particularly contenders that need to bolster their backcourt depth, such as the Houston Rockets, Milwaukee Bucks, and Orlando Magic. Josh Green is also a possible trade target for teams seeking 3-and-D help.
If the Hornets manage to flip any or even all of them for additional draft capital, which their front office has prioritized since the change in ownership, they could find themselves in the market for veteran reinforcement. And Beverley should be an unlikely option.
To be fair, the 37-year-old vet might turn out to be serviceable, as he is renowned for his rugged defense and toughness, both of which are extremely needed in Charlotte. The problem is that his 3-point efficiency could doom the Hornets' offense. He shot just 33.7 percent from beyond the arc during the last season he played in the NBA (the 2023-24 campaign), and has not registered a 3-point field goal percentage higher than 34.4 percent in an entire season since the 2020-21 season.
Signing Patrick Beverley could spice things up the next time Charlotte plays Atlanta
Having Beverley on the roster would definitely make any Hornets-Hawks bout an intriguing watch because of the drama surrounding him and Atlanta's foundational piece.
The rivals' bickering began when Beverley blamed the growing unwatchability of the All-Star Game on the participants, accusing them of not taking the match seriously. Young replied to his post on X, saying, "Relax. Let us speak for ourselves."
Naturally, the diss did not sit well with the podcast host. He used his platform to fire back, arguing that Young has not won enough or reached more playoffs to respond the way he did. Beverley may have forgotten, though, that his new nemesis has four All-Star berths (and counting) and was two wins away from carrying the Hawks to the 2021 Finals. The free agent also blasted Trae for supposedly not being a good leader and teammate and for allegedly getting former coaches and general managers fired.
For his part, Young issued a 12-minute rebuttal, although he should already be done defending himself, especially because he can let his game do the talking. Additionally, current and former players have come to support him, including Kevin Durant, who called Beverley "delusional," Jeff Teague, Gilbert Arenas, and Brandon Jennings, who basically told Pat Bev to either make a team this season or "sit on the couch" with him and other retirees.
Maybe the former second-round pick should take on the challenge and audition for a roster spot on the Hornets; that is, if they can open at least one before or during the 2025-26 regular season.