Michael Beasley, who joined the Lakers on a one-year, $3.5MM deal, isn’t fond of all the naysayers criticizing his fit on the team.
“For there to even be a narrative of the personalities in this room is judgment enough for me, and I don’t want to be a part of that,” Beasley said (via Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com).
“You being a critic doing your job, [if] everybody do their job and stop judging a lot of players — me mainly — you will figure out that guys like me, Nick Young, J.R. Smith and Lance Stephenson and guys like that know how to play basketball and win basketball games, know how to get along with others. It is nothing to do with my maturity.”
The forward added that he feels this year’s squad is going to “come together like a basketball team.”
Magic Johnson had a vision for the type of talent he wanted to put around newly-signed LeBron James. The President of Basketball Operations wanted veteran toughness, playoff experience, defense, basketball IQ, and multiple offensive weapons, Youngmusik writes in the piece for ESPN.
Playoff experience? JaVale McGee has a ring. Same with Rajon Rondo. Basketball IQ? While the former Celtics point has had his run-ins with coaches, he’s widely regarded as one of the brightest minds in the game. Veteran toughness? Look no further than Stephenson and his calling card is his offensive ability.
Beasley’s offense is likely better than the average Knicks’ viewer realized last season. Sound defense with the group? That might be a tougher sell than any attribute listed above. Still, Beasley knows what the team expects from him.
“Just be myself,” Beasley said of what the Lakers want from him. “I come in here and try to help the young guys and put the ball in the basket…Don’t be shy about being myself.”
Javale McGee has ring….so does swaggy p. Doesn’t mean they’re worth a darn. Just means they played on the super team.
With that said, I think Beasley for 4.4m is a good deal for the lakers.
Wrong again. Every championship team needs every player, including the bench. What javale brought to the warriors was a unique skill set (for that warriors team) just as every other player on the team did. It’s almost funny he brings up Nick young when young problem isn’t his attitude, it’s his work ethic. He thought he could just show up and collect his ring, and the warriors ended up benching him for lack of effort. Every single player must give 100% max effort or you might as well go home. The warriors have been pushed to the brink of elimination every year. They aren’t unbeatable. You become a super team through more than just having a few naturally gifted “all stars”.
I wouldn’t say every year. They did set a postseason record going 16-1 in 2017.
Wrong on your part….insert ANY half decent center and they still win multiple titles. He had zero to do with GS success. Victim of circumstance.
So? Who cares? He has playoff experience. He was on the floor during the finals. He has seen what it takes to be a winning franchise and a winning culture because he was apart of the best team in modern history. Him being 8th in the rotation is not relevant.
If anyone doesn’t think javale is good they are just looking at stats or twitter or something because he was great for the warriors. He is one of the rarest athletes they nba hasn’t had his wingspan and hands allow him to catch and finish lobs almost all other players can’t, he is a great shot blocker and changes even more shots, his footwork was even suprising at times catching it going around guys to score. And he hung with lebron on the switch in the finals and other guys. Javale doesn’t get enough credit and he was good for Denver years back. Now he has asthma so he can’t play a lot but for 15 min he can give energy, block shots, tip out an off reb no one else could. That was a lot to write for javale but the warriors big 4 with him was the best basketball I’ve ever seen.
Nick young Wasn’t great for warriors but in the playoffs, where every possession counts, each possession is so valuable and nick kept harden in front and made rockets work, gave effort challenging shots, and Steve Kerr said he hit the biggest shot of the game down 85-80 Durant found him on the break and ge hit 3 from left wing and after that they went on a run. He started a game vs Pelicans if I remember right and he played good against them.
The fact he accepted his role and starred in his role and wanted to set screens and box out and his attitude was great, that says a lot.
Shoot he might be back I think he is still a free agent, I bet he wants to go to lakers now, imagine that after what they signed.
Lakers vs warriors wcf! That would be so fun
Actually a great deal we got Beasley for 3.5 million.
So Magic wanted smart and tough, offense and defense. Doesn’t narrow it down much!
Actually that description is not the bast match for what was acquired.
Beasley will do really good, Walton’s offense isn’t going to allow LeBron to make everyone stagnant. Nothing against LeBron but I think he knows he’ll be playing off the ball in LA with Lonzo,Rondo, and Ingram sharing playmaking duties with him. So I expect Beasley to get the ball where he wants it and score his 15-30 off the bench.
Suddenly. I am laughing really hard again.
List of top 50 Free Agents. Michael Beasley #48. Well done Beez Nice contract for #48
I really do think this Lakers team is coming on real nice, probably will be some more moves between now & trade deadline in February to polish things, but I can truly see this team in the WCF & with a chance similar to go to the finals that Houston had last year, you cannot underestimate the LBJ factor. Would love to see a Lakers/Sixers final wouldn’t that be a throw back, a real classic of a final, anyway probably won’t happen but what a final LBJ v Simmons, mouthwatering. Just a dream, right?
He could theoretically play the 5 in some lineups for them, and give them a more dynamic lineup. He did it in Miami when he came back from China a couple of years ago, and was good there. He also gives them that added depth at the 4 behind Lebron, Kuzma, Ingram, and someone that can rebound at that position, which they could use.
I dont understand the narrative that some kind of circus is going to go down there. The only potential issue involves Lavar Ball, and that was already an issue, and they didnt have too much problem ignoring him last year.