Lakers Rumors: LA's Patience with Michael Beasley Will Prove Disastrous

These are not your father's Los Angeles Lakers. They practice patience when it comes to spending their money, and it will come to bite them in the rear in regards to Michael Beasley. 

The biggest cause for concern from the Lakers is a tweet from A. Sherrod Blakely signaling that Beasley may not be on the market for much longer.

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#Celticstalk: @buellj814 -> Beasley is being shopped HARD. T-Wolves very motivated to move him, and yes, the #Celtics have some interest.

— A. Sherrod Blakely (@SherrodbCSN) March 1, 2012"

This comes on the heels of interest the Lakers showed in the Minnesota Timberwolves small forward and a subsequent deal that was allegedly turned down. 

ESPN's Chris Broussard details how things are shaping up on the Lakers end of things. 

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The Lakers are interested, but conflicted. Minnesota offered the Lakers Beasley for the Lakers' best first-round pick, but the Lakers' unwillingness to pay the extra luxury tax money they would incur from Beasley's contract, have thus far turned down the deal. Beasley makes $6.2 million this season, but with the Lakers being a taxpayer, that equates to $12. million. 

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The Lakers, all of a sudden, are worried about financial implications. It will only serve to have the best option for help at the small forward leave to the hated rivals, the Boston Celtics. 

I understand this is not my money and Beasley is a risk, but he is clearly the best option to shore up one of their most obvious needs this season. 

I will concur with Beasley detractors that he has taken a step back this season with the lowest averages of his career, 12.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. His minutes are the lowest since his rookie year and he has fallen out of favor with Rick Adelman and the front office. He needs a change of scenery badly.

The Lakers would keep the same core of players and still get someone to help with the depth issues plaguing this team at the moment. 

That is if they act quickly; the Celtics are hot to add some talent of their own and are willing to gamble on a player like Beasley. 

There was a time when the Lakers would be the ones swinging for the fences, but that time may be long gone, while the penny pinching continues.

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