On Monday, the Los Angeles Lakers officially signed Michael Beasley, making him the newest addition to LA-Bron’s squad.
His deal will be worth $3.5 million over one year.
OFFICIAL: Lakers sign Michael Beasley
Welcome to the #LakeShow, @Michael8easley!! https://t.co/RhdQfPBkaF
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) July 23, 2018
Beasley hasn’t quite lived up to fans’ expectations since he was selected 2nd in the 2008 NBA Draft. He showed promise in his first three years in the league, making the NBA All-Rookie First Team and averaging as much as 19.2 points per game in his third season, but Beasley wasn’t able to keep up his production.
His numbers steadily fell to the point that he couldn’t find a job in the league and had to play overseas. It seemed that Beasley would never make a real impact in the NBA. However, opportunity knocked at his door last year.
The Knicks took a chance on the forward, and it paid off. Beasley averaged 13.2 points in just over 22 minutes a game and proved to front office execs that he is a gifted scorer. Regarding his points per 48 minutes, Beasley ranked 28th in the NBA, ahead of big names like Klay Thompson and Chris Paul. He quickly became a fan favorite in Madison Square Garden, even receiving MVP chants for his extraordinary scoring efforts.
http://twitter.com/KnickFilmSchool/status/1020417979006291968
He will provide an excellent sparkplug for the Lakers when LeBron needs rest. Beasley is more than capable of picking up his fair share of the scoring responsibilities, as he has demonstrated time after time that he is a tough player to guard one-on-one.
5. I'M STRAPPED IN!!
Michael Beasley scores 28 of his 32 points late in the game to secure the W vs the Celtics, giving the Knicks a 17-14 record. pic.twitter.com/YNMDFzlISO
— New Era Knicks (@NewEraKnicks) May 12, 2018
Beasley is no stranger to working with LeBron. In addition to the two forwards played together on the Miami Heat in 2014, Beasley and James have also spent some time together off the floor in a way you might not expect:
Although there are some concerns over how the new players will interact off-court, Beasley has assured Laker fans that “You got 14 guys other than LeBron James that know how to play basketball, and I think you got 29 teams that are overlooking the fact that they know how to play basketball.”
Featured Image via Flickr/Keith Allison
