Lakers Trade Rumors: Money Concerns Will Keep Michael Beasley out of LA

It's not that the Los Angeles Lakers couldn't use a small forward of Michael Beasley's talent and youth. If you've seen the vacuous space on the court that Metta World Peace and Matt Barnes have attempted to occupy this season, you would know.

Rather (and strangely enough), LA's likely reluctance to acquire Beasley from the Minnesota Timberwolves stems not so much from questions about his baggage, but rather, his salary.

As pointed out by Peter Vecsey of the New York Post, the Lakers would be loath to absorb Beasley's contract into the $8.9 million trade exception they received from the Dallas Mavericks in the Lamar Odom deal, as doing so would add considerably to the team's luxury tax burden under the new collective bargaining agreement.

Isn't that the point of having a trade exception—to use it to acquire a player without giving up much in return?

Not if you're a franchise helmed by penny-pinchers like today's Jim Buss-led Lakers. To be sure, it's strange to think of the Lakers as suddenly being cheapskates, seeing as how they constitute the most valuable franchise in the NBA and have been knee-deep in luxury taxes since the dawn of man.

The financial consequences of being so far over the salary cap, though, are set to increase considerably in the coming years, as are the punishments levied for free spending over a long period of time. 

But why would the Lakers care?

Good question! They're about to enter into a multi-billion dollar television deal with Time Warner that will not only ensure that the Buss family can keep the team for the foreseeable future, but also increase the franchise's already bankable profitability.

The last thing the Buss brothers should do now—with Kobe Bryant's career entering its twilight and the Lakers' window of opportunity closing—is forgo what made the Purple and Gold so profitable in the first place (i.e. WINNING) in favor of avoiding penalties in the short term.

The last thing the Lakers should do is put taxes before titles, lest they squander whatever top-quality basketball the "Black Mamba" has left in his body.

The last thing they should do is sit on the savings incurred from dumping Odom's salary rather than use the flexibility to improve the team's ability to make a run in the wide-open Western Conference.

Unfortunately for Lakers fans, the last thing Jim Buss will do is spend money on a winner, even if it means giving up the opportunity to acquire a 23-year-old forward with 20-point-per-game potential like Michael Beasley.

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