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Patrick Beverley openly talked about how much playing for his hometown Chicago Bulls meant to him.
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But when the Bulls received a verbal commitment from Jevon Carter in the opening hours of NBA free agency Friday night, it was clear that management had chosen a different path.
Beverley, who attended Marshall High and proved instrumental in the Bulls' strong 14-9 finish to last season, announced via his podcast's Twitter account that he plans to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers. The one-year deal is for the league minimum, according to Chris Haynes of TNT and Bleacher Report.
The Bulls had held informal discussions about retaining Beverley at a similar price but instead moved quickly to secure Carter with a three-year, $20 million deal. They also extended Ayo Dosunmu a $5.2 million qualifying offer, making that local product a restricted free agent for now.
Chicago Bulls
Beverley, who turns 35 this month, averaged 5.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 22 starts for the Bulls after arriving via the buyout market. Coach Billy Donovan immediately thrust Beverley into the starting lineup over Dosunmu, and Beverley quickly earned the respect of the locker room with his direct but inclusive leadership style.
Beverley had held two previous flirtations with the Bulls, including when he was first trying to break into the NBA. When he finally landed with his hometown team, he offered eloquence on what it meant to him.
"Obviously, you’re stuck trying to win games. But I want to embrace this because it’s a kid’s dream come true," Beverley said in February. "A kid from Chicago, playing for your hometown, winning games, making a playoff push. It’s all you dream about.”
Born in 1988, Marshall grew up on the city’s west side with fond memories of the Bulls’ dynasty. They include watching games with his grandfather, Rheese Morris, who passed away in 2017. Beverley mourned his passing in memorably powerful fashion after helping the Houston Rockets to a playoff victory over the San Antonio Spurs.
“We couldn’t really afford tickets. So my memory was, like, Grandma’s porch. The playoffs were always the summertime so the weather had changed a lot more. You got the TV right there on the porch,” Beverley said. “My granddad---rest in peace, his good soul---he wore a Chicago Bulls jersey every single day. Every single day. Until I got my jersey in the NBA, he wore a Michael Jordan jersey every single day.
“So just to have that makeup, my neighborhood was a neighborhood full of basketball players. So the Bulls winning, they were winning so much it became natural. ‘What we gonna do this championship?’"