New Laker Had Been A Target For LA's Front Office Long Before Trade Brought Him To Town
If there is one thing that Lakers' superstar LeBron James loves having on his team, besides a healthy Anthony Davis of course, it is a player that can consistently hit the three-ball. There are few players that draw more double teams when they attack the rim than James and the attention he draws will always allow guys on the perimeter to be open for shots.
The King has long been criticized for passing up the ball in clutch moments to his snipers but it shows how much trust he has in them as the season goes on. Jus to refresh your memory, he likely doesn't capture his second championship without the heroics of Ray Allen in 2013.
Fast forward to 2023 and LeBron has a new guy to fill that role on the Lakers by the name of Malik Beasley. Prior to the trade deadline, Beasley was among the most efficient players from beyond the arc and he was brought in to continue doing what he does best.
The consistency hasn't quite been there for the 26-year-old but when he has been hot, the purple and gold usually come out victorious. He's had multiple games where he's hit over five three's and LA is able to grow a comfortable lead.
Shooters are usually always linked to teams led by James in trade rumors and it was no different for Beasley who has been reportedly been on Rob Pelinka's wishlist for quite some time. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype revealed this information on his HoopsHype podcast and believes he'll be suiting up for the Lakers next year as well.
"From what I’ve heard, Lakers executive Rob Pelinka has had interest in Beasley for a while, and this could be more than just a short-term thing since he has a $16.5 million team option for next season. Beasley is loving it in LA. He’s starting on a winning team and will get the chance to play with LeBron more soon..."
(Via Michael Scotto)
Since LA acquired him, Beasley has averaged about 11 points on 35% shooting from three. However, I'm really looking forward to seeing how his numbers look once James gets a good amount of games with him under his belt.
The Lakers continue to battle for a playoff spot and Beasley will undoubtedly play a huge role in where they land.
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