Los Angeles Lakers: Players most likely to be traded before deadline

2. Michael Beasley

Michael Beasley is catching fire (relatively speaking) at just the right time. After looking like a wasted signing through the first couple months of the season, the offensive-minded forward is starting to bring some on-court value to the Lakers.

Over his last four games, Beasley is averaging 15.0 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game while sinking almost 60 percent of his shots. In LeBron’s absence, he’s emerged as a quality scoring threat off the bench who is more than capable of serving as an offensive spark plug.

Now keep in mind — that’s a rather small sample of work. Any teams considering taking on Beasley would likely be wary of adding him considering how irrelevant he’s been for the Lakers up until January. However, if he stays hot and continues to put strong outings together, Beasley could see his stock rise significantly before the trade deadline.

Chances are if Beasley is traded, he’d be a toss-in to provide additional value. His one-year, $3.5 million contract could also be a factor if working out the financials becomes difficult. Either way, the Lakers aren’t losing much if they decide to part ways with the former No. 2 overall pick.

If Los Angeles does swing a big trade, don’t be surprised if Beasley is included to sweeten the deal.