Los Angeles Lakers: Realistic free agent options for room exception

Michael Beasley

I know, right? How much eccentricity can one roster handle?

The Lakers already signed Stephenson and Rondo this offseason, blasting the amount of peculiarity through the roof. Bringing Michael Beasley aboard would only up the ante that much more. However, as crazy as it seems, it’s not out of the realm of possibility.

At this moment, the Lakers still need frontcourt help. The loss of Julius Randle certainly hurt their depth and overall talent level at power forward. Bringing aboard Beasley wouldn’t be a solve-all, but he could certainly help fill those minutes with quality play.

What I like about the idea of signing Beasley is his effectiveness in the scoring department. Although a bit erratic at times, he offers exceptional 3-point shooting (39.5 percent in 2017-18) in the frontcourt, and can also create off the dribble and knows how to clean the glass. The only concern with Beasley is his lack of defense, which can be all too apparent at times.

Still, the added shooting makes him worth the risk. Especially coming off the bench, I could see him becoming a force for the second unit with his athleticism and effectiveness from the field. Beasley averaged 13.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game for the New York Knicks last season in a part-time starting role. Why couldn’t be do the same in Los Angeles?

It sounds like more of a headache than its worth. Then again, you could have said that about Stephenson and Rondo as well. As we’ve seen this offseason, anything is possible.