Patrick Beverley Reveals Calling Kawhi Leonard After Clippers Lowballed Him

The Clippers took Kawhi Leonard’s approval to raise Patrick Beverley's contract.

Patrick Beverley Reveals Calling Kawhi Leonard After Clippers Lowballed Him

Kawhi Leonard and Patrick Beverley (Image credits - ESPN)

It has been a while since Patrick Beverley last played in the NBA. He was last seen playing for the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2023-24 campaign. Since then, he has played overseas and is currently with Boulazac Basket Dordogne in the French LNB Elite.

Beverley played for multiple teams during his 12 years in the league. However, the best phase of his career came during his time with the Los Angeles Clippers. He spent four seasons with the Clippers from 2017 to 2021, and played an instrumental role when they reached the Eastern Conference Finals in his final season.

During his time in LA, he played alongside Kawhi Leonard for two seasons. There was no doubt that Leonard was the Clippers’ best player and their biggest star. With Leonard at the helm, he had the final say in the Clippers’ decisions.

After taking a huge pay cut to stay in LA, Beverley expected a bigger contract in return. However, the Clippers took a surprising step when negotiations stalled and made him question whose approval actually mattered.

I signed a three-year, $40 million contract with the Clippers. I turned down a three-year, $50 million with Sacramento. So when it was time to renegotiate contracts, sign extensions, and then they were saying no. The no was like $4 to 5 million. So I called Kawhi. Then they called me back down, and my agent’s like, ‘No, they lifted it up to six to eight million.’ And I’m like, why do you need to call Kawhi for anything?

Patrick Beverley on Thanalysis

Patrick Beverley was left disappointed by the Clippers’ front office after they failed to reward him with a better contract. They offered him a six- to eight-million-dollar contract after Leonard’s approval, but Beverley was not interested in it.

The veteran guard has often praised Leonard for his work ethic and talent. However, he was unimpressed by the organization’s hierarchy and believed the initial offer left him feeling undervalued. He was then traded to the Memphis Grizzlies and then to the Minnesota Timberwolves for the following season.

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Kawhi Leonard’s era with the Clippers ended up being a disappointment

When the Clippers signed Kawhi Leonard in 2019, he was coming off a historic championship run with the Toronto Raptors. He joined the organization as a two-time champion and a two-time Finals MVP.

Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi Leonard (Image credits – Bleacher Report)

Listening to his demands, the Clippers acquired Paul George from the Oklahoma City Thunder that same year. The duo was projected to kickstart a new era in LA.

Unfortunately, Leonard’s injuries became the talking point during his six-year stint with them. Their best postseason run came in 2021 when they reached the Western Conference Finals. Since that run, they have failed to win a single playoff series and missed the playoffs last season.

To make matters worse, Leonard and the Clippers have been caught up in a number of allegations. They have been accused of circumventing the salary cap. The Clippers have been stripped of five first-round picks, and Steve Ballmer has been handed a $30 million fine. Meanwhile, Leonard was handed a $700k fine, and his trade to the Raptors will go through.

It is unfortunate that Leonard’s stint in LA will be remembered for all the wrong reasons. However, he will be looking to have a fresh start with the Raptors next season.

Patrick Beverley claims he changed Wolves’ culture after joining them

While Patrick Beverley’s stint with the Clippers ended after failed negotiations, he joined the Wolves for the following season. He spent just one season in Minnesota but got some revenge after eliminating the Clippers in the Play-In Tournament.

Speaking about his move to the Wolves, Beverley claimed that he changed the culture of the organization after joining them.

That starting five we had was arguably the best starting five in the NBA that year. This is the first play-in game damn near ever, we play against the Clippers. If we win, Minnesota gets into the playoffs after 16 years. Then you inject Pat Bev in there. They haven’t missed the playoffs since I got there. I’m not saying it’s all me, but I started something in Minnesota for sure.

Patrick Beverley on Thanalysis

Beverley and the Wolves were beaten by the Grizzlies in the first round that year. However, they have been a regular playoff team since and reached two consecutive Western Conference Finals in 2024 and 2025. While Beverley didn’t get full credit for bringing in a change, he believes he sparked a shift in the franchise before he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.

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