Lakers Rumors: Michael Beasley to L.A. Makes More Sense Than You'd Think

Michael Beasley is a candidate to be wearing a new uniform prior to the March 15 trade deadline, and it's becoming extraordinarily clear that Beasley's future is not in Minnesota with the Timberwolves.

The Los Angeles Lakers have a very pressing need at small forward and an $8.9 million trade exception available to use from the deal that sent Lamar Odom to the Dallas Mavericks.

ESPN's Chris Broussard reports that the Lakers have been eying Beasley's availability for quite some time, and the interest in bringing him into the fold has been present since the preseason:

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The Lakers were actually in discussions with Minnesota about a potential trade for Beasley before the season started. If they would have been able to pull off the deal for Chris Paul, there is a good chance that a trade for Beasley would have followed.

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Despite the fact that the Lakers were unable to acquire Paul because of what commissioner David Stern termed "basketball reasons," the team would still stand to benefit from adding Beasley at this time.

Not everyone is a fan of Beasley, but he's someone who possesses a lot of talent and is capable of helping a team if given the right role.

Although he might need some tutelage and mentoring along the way, Beasley has definite scoring skills, which could really help the Lakers beef up an offense that desperately needs some help.

Beasley has career averages of 15.6 points and 5.8 rebounds on 45.4 percent shooting.

Although his numbers are slightly down from those averages this season, Beasley has shifted to a reserve role since returning from his mid-foot sprain and has seen sporadic playing time.

The deficiencies the Lakers have had at small forward this season have been downright startling to watch.

Opening-night starter Devin Ebanks is now in the D-League. Metta World Peace is shooting a putrid 33.1 percent and posting career-low numbers across the board, Matt Barnes' inconsistency has him best suited for a reserve role and Luke Walton is an afterthought in Los Angeles.

Beasley would immediately become the most talented player the Lakers have at the position, and it wouldn't even be a close call.

Are there concerns that come along with Beasley? Absolutely. Whether it's fair or not, he's garnered a reputation as somewhat of a knucklehead.

However, he is undoubtedly a gamble worth taking for general manager Mitch Kupchak and the Lakers.

With the ability to acquire Beasley using the trade exception, it's exactly the type of low-risk, high-reward move that the Lakers could benefit from without overhauling the entire structure of the team.

Beasley is a restricted free agent at the end of the season. If the experiment doesn't work, Los Angeles can make the decision to go in another direction and choose not to retain him.

But if it does work? Los Angeles would hold the ability to match any offer Beasley receives and would have the flexibility to re-sign him if the club chooses to do so.

A trade for Beasley is also one way for the Lakers to indirectly address an underwhelming bench.

With the Lakers dead last in scoring from the reserve group, the team could choose to use Beasley in a sixth-man role as a way to beef up the production from second unit.

If he were to slide into a starting role, coach Mike Brown could use both Metta World Peace and Matt Barnes as niche defenders off the bench rather than expose their weaknesses with too many minutes.

Beasley is also shooting at a stellar clip (above 40 percent) from behind the three-point line this season, and that is another area where the Lakers have struggled tremendously.

There is one other area where Beasley helps the Lakers—in the youth department.

With the Lakers leaning on Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, who are both on the wrong side of 30, Beasley is just 23 years old and would make for a nice complement alongside 24-year-old Andrew Bynum.

Can Beasley come into a city like Los Angeles and avoid any potential distractions in order to play up to his potential? Per ESPN:

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Minnesota is looking to move Beasley, who they feel has matured very little (if at all) since he's been there, according to sources. The Lakers believe they can handle a player like Beasley because of their winning culture and the leadership of Bryant.

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It's not a blockbuster move like so many Lakers fans are hoping to see, but it's one that could really help this team both now and in the future.

Those are the types of deals Kupchak should be exploring.

Beasley would be a welcome addition in Los Angeles on a team that sorely needs him.

The move would likely be mutually beneficial, as Beasley would finally be on a team that is willing to give him an opportunity and the Lakers most certainly need an upgrade at small forward.

That could be exactly the type of boost that both Beasley and the Lakers need to get rolling.