How can Minnesota Timberwolves reclaim Patrick Beverley?

The Minnesota Timberwolves fans love veteran guard Patrick Beverly, and the take-no-crap veteran guard Patrick Beverley would love nothing better than to return to the Minnesota Timberwolves roster. Ah, but there is one small insignificant detail that poses a challenge to that oft-sought reunion.

It can’t happen.

Not directly anyway. You see, NBA regulations come into play after a player has been traded away by a team. That team cannot trade back to reacquire that same player in the NBA season of the original trade. But there is one caveat. If that player is bought out or cut and becomes a free agent, then that player has the option to sign with any team he desires.

In the case of Patrick Beverley and the Minnesota Timberwolves, the key is for Beverley to be cut or bought out this season. Then, and only then, will he have the option to return to the Minnesota Timberwolves? Of course, that presumes that the rumors are true and that Beverley wants to play for the Timberwolves again. It also presumes that the Timberwolves’ front office will make the necessary roster moves, and make a contract offer, to allow Beverley to return to the team.

One buyout scenario that could make sense

But that creates an altogether practical challenge to it all. Which team would cut or buy out Beverley to allow the above scenario to take place?

Well, Jake Fisher of Yahoo Sports has indicated that the Los Angeles Lakers have packaged Patrick Beverley, Kendrick Nunn, and a protected first-round draft pick in an attempt to pry Bojan Bogdanovich from the Detroit Pistons to no avail.  The Pistons want less protection on that pick, a requirement that the Lakers seem uninterested in satisfying. But as the trade deadline approaches, the Lakers could agree to remove some of that protection.

If Beverley ends up on the Pistons, a team clearly in a rebuild mode, he has suggested that he would immediately seek to be bought out of his contract, and pursue returning to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Unlikely? Perhaps. But the key to starting the process is if the Lakers move Beverley to a rebuilding team like the Detroit Pistons. Should that happen, hang onto your hats, because things could happen very quickly at that point.