For those keeping up with the Malik Beasley off-court saga during this offseason, the sharpshooting wing is no longer being targeted by the law. However, after watching what unfolded during the summer, would the Los Angeles Lakers really want the baggage Beasley brings at this point?
Culture is often a buzzword that many will be quick to dismiss. At the end of the day, what should matter most is what a player brings on the court, right? For some, perhaps there is validity to those feelings.
Still, when digging through the details of Shams Charania's report on the matter, there is an inescapable and unnerving feeling of the personality that the Lakers would be inviting back into the locker room with Beasley. Does Rob Pelinka want that distraction amid a championship window?
Charnia wrote, "At least one prominent U.S. sportsbook detected unusually heavy betting interest on Beasley's statistics beginning around January 2024, a gambling industry source told ESPN's David Purdum."
Lakers can’t afford another empty bet on streaky shooting
Charania made it clear that the allegations against Beasley were going to become a thing of the past, according to his attorneys Steve Haney and Mike Schachter. The Eastern District of New York confirmed that in extensive meetings and conversations with the pair.
Still, this is not the first time that Beasley has been involved in off-court concerns. Charania reminded everyone that back in 2020, the former Minnesota Timberwolves wing plead guilty to a felony charge of threats of violence and was sentenced to 120 days in jail. Those days were served after the 2020-21 season and Beasley was suspended by the NBA after the fact.
The Brooklyn Nets are the only team with cap space. The Nets still have about $15M in cap space (accounting for some cap space going to re-signing Day'Ron Sharpe or Ziaire Williams).
Beyond BKN, a handful of teams still have some or all of the $14.1M Non-Taxpayer MLE remaining. https://t.co/OgbO6afk1S
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) August 22, 2025
It is undeniable that a reunion with the former Laker would have been something to keep an eye on before the offseason arrived. To some extent, there is still an argument for the addition given the lack of shooting on a roster with Luka Doncic and LeBron James.
Beasley had one of his best seasons as a pro in 2024-25 with the Detroit Pistons. The Pistons bench scorer averaged 16.3 points, knocking down 41.6 percent from beyond the arc. Beasley finished with 319 total 3-pointers made, one shy of the league leader, Anthony Edwards.
Still, the nine-year pro has a history of streaky shooting and the Lakers need little reminder of that after their experience with him. Beasley only shot 35.3 percent from distance during the 2022-23 season with Los Angeles.
Once the 2023 NBA Playoffs came around, it was a disappearing act entirely. Beasley shot 26.9 percent from 3-point land, and 29.4 percent from the field overall.
This is all before even mentioning the lackluster defense brought into the mix. Plus, the Lakers would need a consolidation trade before even pursuing the free agent.
It may be a touch unfair to judge a player by a clear low point. However, when concerns of his on-court consistency meet those of his off-court distractions, there is just too much weighing down the value of what Beasley could bring back to the Lakers.