Tag: Malik Beasley

Malik Beasley’s lackadaisical defensive effort was on full display during this Bucks lowlight

Beasley cannot be the top perimeter defender for Milwaukee, no matter what Adrian Griffin said.

Malik Beasley was on the wrong end of a highlight during Milwaukee’s tough loss against the Pacers on Thursday.

After his first training camp and preseason with the organization, Beasley was given the fifth spot in the starting lineup for Milwaukee. He has appeared in the first unit in all eight of the games that he has played for the Bucks so far.

He is a valuable floor-spacer who has shot 37.9 percent on 3-pointers during his professional career. Beasley is also shooting well to start this campaign, connecting on 42.5 percent of his shots from beyond the arc.

But he has left plenty of room for improvement with his defensive effort, which was unfortunately on display when Beasley defended Indiana star Tyrese Haliburton during important minutes down the stretch.

You can watch exactly what happened, but the results weren’t pretty. Haliburton created an absurd amount of separation off the dribble against Beasley, who seemingly gave up on the play immediately after.

Here is another angle, courtesy of the Pacers:

The biggest question, though, is how he ended up in this situation.

Before the season began, Beasley spoke about a desire to make a leap on the defensive end of the floor (via Milwaukee Journal Sentinel):

“I came here to also help my defense,” Beasley said matter-of-factly. “They make an impact on defense. Especially with (assistant) coach (Patrick) Mutombo, that’s his specialty. I heard coach (Adrian) Griffin, that’s what he likes, too. I want this to be a great year not just for me individually, but overall as a team and building my value more than just a three-point shooter.”

Afterward, first-year head coach Adrian Griffin said that Beasley would take on the “toughest assignments” on defense for Milwaukee. This was a very surprising statement considering, per BBall-Index, Beasley had not typically taken on a high degree of matchup difficulty in the NBA.

Yet this season, he has already spent significant time guarding offensive standouts such as Haliburton as well as Trae Young, Tyrese Maxey, Cade Cunningham and Jalen Brunson.

(via dunksandthrees)

For as much value as he brings as a perimeter player on offense, he has never had the same level of impact on the defensive end of the floor.

It’s also emblematic of a bigger issue that has plagued the Bucks since the start of the season. Milwaukee has the NBA’s sixth-worst defensive rating so far in 2023-24.

Since losing defensive juggernaut Jrue Holiday in a trade to land Damian Lillard (who has his own defensive shortcomings) during the offseason, the Bucks have struggled to guard opponents at the point of attack.

Beasley isn’t a bad player but he isn’t the right option as the perimeter stopper for Milwaukee. This clip against Haliburton is reason enough why the Bucks need to do whatever they can to trade for a defensive ace like Alex Caruso or find more minutes for Marjon Beauchamp.

[lawrence-related id=2164331,2164381,2157914,2150002]

Lakers are letting go of Mo Bamba and Malik Beasley

The Lakers will be releasing two of their players in order to gain greater salary cap flexibility.

[anyclip pubname=”2123″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8169″]

One day before the start of free agency across the NBA, the Los Angeles Lakers announced decisions on two players that could have significant salary cap implications.

In February, they acquired multiple players via trade. Two were center Mo Bamba and guard Malik Beasley. Both were expected to help the team with its 3-point shooting, which was arguably its biggest weakness.

However, Bamba barely played. Beasley shot poorly and eventually lost his spot in head coach Darvin Ham’s rotation during the playoffs.

The Lakers are waiving Bamba and declining next season’s team option on Beasley’s contract. However, at least one of them could stay with the team on a different contract.

These two moves will reportedly open nearly $12.5 million and help Los Angeles go after at least one free agent on the open market, according to ESPN.

Lakers may look to trade No. 17 pick in a package for starter-level player

Instead of using the No. 17 pick in this year’s draft on a player with upside, the Lakers may trade it for someone who can help right now.

After lacking tradable assets going back to 2021, the Los Angeles Lakers have some chips they can use to reload and make one more run at an NBA championship while LeBron James is still around and playing at a high level.

They will have the No. 17 and No. 47 picks in June 22’s 2023 NBA draft, and the No. 17 pick should have some value on the open market.

In addition, Los Angeles has the expiring contracts of Malik Beasley and Mo Bamba to play with, as well as the possibility of using guard D’Angelo Russell in a sign-and-trade.

According to Jovan Buha, the Lakers may end up flipping that No. 17 pick plus Beasley and Bamba for a player who is good enough to be in their starting lineup right away.

Via The Athletic:

“There’s also the growing possibility that they can make a move at the 2023 draft, flipping their pick (No. 17), along with Bamba and/or Beasley for a starting-level upgrade.”

The team may not be that far from winning another Larry O’Brien Trophy, but, more likely than not, one upgrade in their starting lineup may be needed to bring home that trophy next June.

Lakers 2022-23 season player grades: Malik Beasley

A final look at Malik Beasley’s performance this season for the Lakers.

The Los Angeles Lakers addressed many of their holes with their multiple trades prior to the trade deadline, or so it appeared.

The big trade was the one that sent out Russell Westbrook, little-used Juan Toscano-Anderson and Damian Jones plus draft capital for D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley. It was projected that both Russell and Beasley would greatly help with the Lakers’ major 3-point shooting woes.

It seemed like a reasonable expectation to many people, given the fact Beasley is a high-volume 3-point shooter who had made at least 37.7% of his attempts from downtown over the previous four seasons.

However, Beasley failed to measure up.

It sounds like Malik Beasley wants to stay with the Lakers

Despite his shooting struggles, Malik Beasley would like to stick around on the Lakers next season.

This summer, the Los Angeles Lakers will have to decide whether to keep guard D’Angelo Russell on a new contract or perhaps flip him for an upgrade such as Kyrie Irving.

In addition, they will have to find a way to retain Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura no matter how much it costs, a very high priority for them.

But another decision flying under the radar is whether L.A. will pick up the team option on guard Malik Beasley’s contract for next season.

He arrived in February’s Russell Westbrook trade and was expected by most to give the team a major upgrade in the 3-point shooting department. Instead, he struggled almost every night and ended up playing himself out of head coach Darvin Ham’s rotation.

Still, Beasley said he’s thankful he had the opportunity to be a part of the Lakers’ midseason turnaround.

“I just wanna control what I can control whether that’s here or anywhere else,” Beasley said during his exit interview. “Just have a great summer, work on the things I need to work on. From a standpoint view of the season I think I had a great opportunity to play for the Lakers. Turn the season around by going 18-8 after the All-Star break and then playing in the playoffs.

“I’m just very thankful to have that opportunity. Had some ups and downs, but at the end of the day we changed the culture. The three guys that came with me, Vando (Jarred Vanderbilt) and D-Lo (D’Angelo Russell), we changed the culture so that’s our main focus.”

Beasley also said he would like to remain with the team next season when asked about his exit interview with Ham and executive Rob Pelinka.

“I don’t wanna speak on it too much because you never know what can happen,” Beasley said. “But obviously, with the culture that we brought here when we came here he loves that and he wants to maintain that so hopefully we can make something happen where I come back. But like I said, I can only control what I can control so I either way, I’m gonna make sure I stay ready.”

The guard shot 35.3% from 3-point range in 26 regular-season games with the Lakers, but that stat is misleading. He shot poorly from that distance much more often than not, and he simply wasn’t able to consistently hit when he was open.

Given those struggles, it’s hard to imagine him sticking around much longer. Perhaps the team will pick up his option, but unless he turns things around this fall, it may see him as useful only in the sense of salary ballast in a potential trade.

Should Lonnie Walker IV return to the Lakers’ rotation?

Some Lakers fans feel Malik Beasley should be replaced in the team’s rotation by Lonnie Walker IV.

The Los Angeles Lakers are set to open up the Western Conference semifinals against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday evening, and it should be an exciting and competitive series.

Unlike the first round against the Memphis Grizzlies, which was a grind-it-out affair at times, this series should have plenty of offense, and it should be a high-scoring one.

The Lakers had trouble consistently hitting 3-pointers against Memphis, and they will need to have better marksmanship from deep in order to knock off the defending NBA champs.

One obstacle is apparently Malik Beasley, who hasn’t quite measured up so far in his tenure with the team. Since arriving in the Russell Westbrook trade in February, he has shot 35.3% from 3-point range in the regular season and a chilly 26.3% from that distance in six playoff games.

Beasley has seen his playing time significantly reduced lately, and some fans have been calling for him to be taken out of the rotation.

It is unlikely that head coach Darvin Ham will do so, but if it were to happen, he should consider reinserting Lonnie Walker IV into his rotation.

Magic Johnson on what the Lakers need to do to beat the Grizzlies

Magic Johnson gave his keys to his Lakers defeating the Grizzlies in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.

The Los Angeles Lakers’ matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies will be one of the more intriguing series the NBA will have to offer as the playoffs begin this weekend.

Memphis is considered a slight favorite, but many believe the Lakers have at least a real shot of knocking off Ja Morant and crew and advancing to the Western Conference semifinals for only the second time in the last 11 seasons.

Against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Tuesday’s play-in tournament game, the Lakers received very little production from players not named LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Dennis Schroder.

In the eyes of team legend Magic Johnson, such players have to step up and play up to their potential, and he said he would also like guard Lonnie Walker IV to get some playing time.

On Tuesday, D’Angelo Russell shot 1-of-9 (although he did have eight assists against one turnover), Austin Reaves went 4-of-13 and Troy Brown Jr missed all but one of his five shot attempts.

Rui Hachimura was just 3-of-8, but he hit a couple of key shots to help the Lakers’ cause, and although Malik Beasley was efficient, he got up just three shots in 14 minutes.

Walker has fallen out of head coach Darvin Ham’s rotation since the trade deadline, but he has gained spot duty on occasion, and he is still a threat to hit from the outside.

Game 1 against the Grizzlies is set to tip off at noon Pacific time on Sunday.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1]

[mm-video type=video id=01gxtmamddxze1fgcm96 playlist_id=01f09kz5ecxq9bp57b player_id=01f5k5xtr64thj7fw2 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gxtmamddxze1fgcm96/01gxtmamddxze1fgcm96-3b10d55c05c87390bd9114adee0eb00e.jpg]

A trio of Lakers will face their former team on Tuesday

When the Lakers play the Timberwolves on Tuesday, D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt will face their former teammates.

It is axiomatic in the NBA that when a player goes up against his former team, especially in postseason play, he is more motivated than usual and tends to have a very good game.

Of course, some players, when faced with that situation, see it as just another game — or at least that’s what they will say publicly.

When the Los Angeles Lakers take on the Minnesota Timberwolves in the play-in tournament on Tuesday, three of their players will be facing their former team: D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt. All arrived in February’s blockbuster Russell Westbrook trade.

Each seems to be adopting a slightly different attitude about the upcoming contest.

The Pelicans almost traded for Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley before the Lakers did

Reportedly, the Lakers were close to missing out on two of the major players they received in the Russell Westbrook trade.

The Los Angeles Lakers may have salvaged what was turning into yet another disappointing season when they traded Russell Westbrook, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Damian Jones and a 2027 first-round draft pick for D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley a day before the trade deadline.

Many fans would’ve been happy if the team had simply dumped Westbrook without getting anything of value in return. Instead, it gained what looks like outstanding value for him.

A big reason was the fact the deal included Vanderbilt, who has emerged as a defensive standout and a good rebounder, as well as Beasley, who always carries the threat of being a 3-point sniper.

But both almost became members of the New Orleans Pelicans instead (h/t Sports Illustrated).

Via The Lowe Post:

“The Pelicans were close to getting Beasley and Vanderbilt from Utah at the trade deadline, or close-ish,” Lowe revealed. “They had a pretty good offer on the table, it was a draft equity-based offer with a pick that maybe was not as good as the Lakers pick that they ended up trading, but pretty close from what I’ve heard.”

Perhaps the deal-breaker was Mike Conley, the veteran point guard the Utah Jazz were looking to get rid of.

“But one of the issues was maybe the picks weren’t exactly equivalent, but the other issue was (Mike) Conley, and the Jazz’s determination to get off of Conley, and could the Pelicans figure that out somehow and it became a little complicated,” Lowe explained. “But that trade ends up helping the Lakers, helping the Wolves, and the Pelicans don’t get involved in it and now they’re falling apart.”

After a couple of years of lousy luck, the Lakers and their beleaguered general manager Rob Pelinka finally benefited from a strong dose of good luck in the Westbrook trade. It could very well make them into a very good team, if not a contender, next season.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1]

[mm-video type=video id=01gvk01vgayb9x60axtx playlist_id=01f09kz5ecxq9bp57b player_id=01f5k5xtr64thj7fw2 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gvk01vgayb9x60axtx/01gvk01vgayb9x60axtx-d1428cfebd52fffd5ccbcb6ed82b9887.jpg]

NBA Twitter reacts to Malik Beasley’s big game versus the Pelicans

Lakers fans on Twitter are very happy Malik Beasley finally had a breakout performance in Tuesday’s win over the Pelicans.

Since coming to the Los Angeles Lakers in February’s blockbuster Russell Westbrook trade, shooting guard Malik Beasley has struggled mightily.

He came into Tuesday’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans shooting a paltry 37% from the field and 32.6% from 3-point range in 12 contests with Los Angeles.

But Beasley broke out in a huge way against the Pelicans.

He shot 7-of-10 from beyond the arc in the first half to propel the Lakers to a 75-40 halftime lead, and he finished with 24 points on 8-of-16 overall shooting and 7-of-12 from downtown in their 123-108 win.

In doing so, Beasley made Lakers history as only their third player to ever hit seven triples in one half.

Across Twitter, fans were amazed at his red-hot performance.