Los Angeles Lakers player report card: Mike Muscala

The Los Angeles Lakers acquired Mike Muscala at the NBA Trade Deadline. We take a look at his short-lived tenured with the purple and gold and hand out a grade.

Mike Muscala was brought to the Los Angeles Lakers in a deal that sent Ivica Zubac and Michael Beasley right across the hallway to the Los Angeles Clippers. This deal was met with a lot of criticism mainly because of the potential Zubac has. Beasley was expendable, but to add Zubac into the deal was a head-scratcher.

The Lakers seemingly gave up a good prospect to keep a guy for a few games that in all actuality knew was leaving after the season. Ivica Zubac thrived when moving over to the Clippers and looking back on it, the Lakers could use that asset right now after striking out on Kawhi Leonard.

Zubac never really got the opportunity to show his true potential with the Lakers, but his per 36 minutes average of 19.6 points and 11.3 rebounds showed what he was capable of. He translated that with the Clippers into per 36-minute averages of 16.8 points and 13.7 rebounds.

Speaking hypothetically this would’ve been a good trade for the Lakers if salaries would’ve matched up and they would’ve only had to give up Michael Beasley. But draining the asset box only proved costly as the Lakers are now trying to put the pieces together of their roster.

Muscala showed promise with Philadelphia, that would’ve been excellent for LA if the trade terms were different.

Let’s take a look at his performance with the Lakers and grade his 2018-19 season with the team.