The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly closing on a deal with small forward Michael Beasley, a source close to situation reported on Wednesday.
According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles, Beasley reportedly worked out at the Lakers training facility in El Segundo, California.
"The Los Angeles Lakers are considering signing free-agent forward Michael Beasley and brought in the six-year veteran for a workout at their El Segundo, California, practice facility Wednesday, according to multiple sources," via ESPN.1
The former Kansas State Wildcats standout did a solid job in his Lakers audition despite showing a little off-season rust, according to the source present during the workout.
"[Beasley] looked very good and he has been working out," a source told the ESPN insider last week. "A tiny rust from layoff, but [he] did a good job."
McMenamin stated the Lakers front office, led by general manager Mitch Kupchack, already had their eyes on the mercurial small forward, but their trade attempts didn't work out in two occasions.
"This isn't the first time the Lakers have expressed interest in the 6-foot-10, 235-pound small forward. The Lakers attempted to trade for Beasley twice during the 2011-12 season, when he played for the Timberwolves, but both deals fell through, the second just minutes before the trade deadline expired," ESPN reported.
The 25-year old Beasley averaged 7.9 points and 3.1 rebounds in 15.1 minutes a game with the Miami Heat last season. The former second overall pick of the 2008 NBA Draft averaged at least double digits in his first five seasons - including a career-high 19.2 points per game with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
But despite possessing exceptional talents, many analysts believed Beasley wasted a lot of opportunities because of his inconsistencies and questionable off-the-court behavior.
Beasley showed a little improvement on these areas in his second tenure with the Heat, where he was able to increase his field goal shooting percentage from 40.5 percent to 49.9 percent and three-point shooting from 31.3 percent to 38.9 percent. However, he just appeared in four games throughout the Heat's postseason run last year.
According to experts, acquiring Beasley could give the Lakers another option at the swingman spot, where only Wesley Johnson is considered the only true small forward on the roster, while Nick Young, Xavier Henry and Kobe Bryant could play the position though they are a bit undersized.
"Beasley would give Los Angeles some added depth at the small forward position. Wes Johnson, who re-upped for another season with the Lakers this summer, is the only true 3 on their roster, with Xavier Henry, Nick Young and Kobe Bryant, and possibly even Julius Randle and Ryan Kelly, able to play out of position to fill the role," according to Los Angeles ESPN insider.
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