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Lakers Trade Rumors

March 1, 2012 by · Comments Off on Lakers Trade Rumors 

Lakers Trade Rumors, Citing the luxury tax that would accompany the addition of Michael Beasley, the Los Angeles Lakers have decided against adding the small forward to their team.

The Minnesota Timberwolves were said to be asking for an upgrade in first-round picks, eying this year’s loaded draft as a possible opportunity for snagging a premier player at a discount in the middle round. That’s smart, because though Beasley himself was a #2 overall pick coming out of Kansas State, he has yet to live up his potential and the guys that could be available in the middle of the first round have talent tantamount to Beasley’s.

And yet, that wasn’t why the Lakers chose to hold off. They must have realized, as most of us did a long time ago, that Beasley isn’t worth much outside of some scoring, which he does at a low efficiency rate anyway, hitting just 44 percent from the floor and posting an EFF FG% of 48 percent. A guy who is listed at 6 feet 10 inches (but stands far closer to 6-7) should get easier shots and finish more around the rim, grab more rebounds, and play tougher interior defense. These deficiencies all limit Beasley’s value.

The Timberwolves knew when they obtained him that they were getting damaged goods. Viewed as little more than a pothead at the point the Heat dealt him for a mere second-round pick (in a move that cleared the salary cap room to sign Chris Bosh, LeBron James, and Mike Miller), Beasley has blossomed a little, but still has a long way to go before he realizes the kind of potential people thought he exhibited at Kansas State. The Heat figured, after all, that bringing Beasley aboard would give Wade the much-needed second fiddle required to get out of the first round of the playoffs. That didn’t happen, of course.

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