The Los Angeles Lakers free agent quest is not quite done, as they have reportedly signed Michael Beasley on a one-year deal
Los Angeles Lakers rumors keep piling on as the team continues filling out the last spots on their roster. The Los Angeles Lakers have had a historic offseason, and recent rumors suggest it might not be over quite yet. The team announced Friday that they have signed veteran forward Michael Beasley to a one-year deal.
The contract is reportedly worth around $3.5 million for the season.
Free agent Michael Beasley has agreed to a deal with the Lakers, league sources tell Yahoo.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 20, 2018
The Lakers have steadily built a team centered around LeBron James, whom they signed earlier this offseason to a four-year, $154 million contract. James and Beasley are no strangers to one another having played together with the Miami Heat during the 2013-14 season.
James apparently was happy with the signing, and the pair can get back to performing on the court, and musical stage, in no time.
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Beasley had a resurgent season last year for the New York Knicks averaging 13.2 points and 5.6 rebounds while shooting 50.7 percent from the field. He also shot 39.5 percent from three-point range, something the Lakers would love for the 10-year NBA veteran to repeat.
Lakers’ management has gone a different route in terms of building a team around James. Instead of the prototypical approach of surrounding James with sharpshooters, the Lakers have focused on the defensive side of the ball with their free agent signings, athletic players that have the ability to guard multiple positions.
In order to make it out of the Western Conference, teams have to be multidimensional. In order to beat the likes of the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets, teams have to try a new approach, they are not going to beat those teams at their own game.
Beasley had a productive season in New York and was one of their most consistent players. He will be a key reserve in head coach Luke Walton’s revolving rotation.
Beasley will be fighting for reserve minutes with 2017 No. 27 overall pick and last year’s NBA All-Rookie First Teamer Kyle Kuzma as well as Lance Stephenson, with James and 2016 No. 2 overall pick Brandon Ingram likely to take starting roles.
This marks the 15th guaranteed contract on the Lakers’ roster, leaving only one two-way contract remaining for the team to give out for the upcoming season.
Next: Grading The Lakers Free Agency Thus Far and Potential Moves
With training camp beginning in September, expect a number of cuts and signings to be made before the roster is finalized for the 2018-19 NBA season.