NBA Rumors and Predictions: Los Angeles Lakers only willing to give Michael Beasley a non-guaranteed contract? Beasley won't sign unless team gives him "real opportunity"

By Staff Reporter

Sep 17 2014, 10:51 AM EDT

Michael Beasley has been a journeyman his entire career. From the Miami Heat who drafted him No.2 overall in 2008, the Minnesota Timberwolves, to the Phoenix Suns, Beasley has played for three different teams in just six seasons in the NBA. So what's in store for Beasley's future this offseason? Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders thinks that its difficult to predict:

Hard to say whats gonna happen with Mike... he is still getting paid by the Suns so he doesn't have to take an offer that is not good for him and his camp understand he can't sign somewhere and get cut or he's finished. So its not about take the job, its got to represent a real opportunity or it will be a negative.
He may wait for an injury or a roster to change by trade or someone getting cut.

So Beasley is looking for a team who will give him a genuine opportunity to become part of it's roster's rotation. But who will give him that chance this summer? The Los Angeles Lakers worked out Michael Beasley twice this offseason so they could just be the team that Beasley is looking for. Both sides, however, have yet to strike a deal despite the Lakers publicly expressing their strong interrest in signing the 6'10' forward with training camp drawing near. Kyler Believes that it's because the Lakers are only willing to give Beasley a non-guaranteed contract - not the kind of real opportunity that he is looking for.

The Lakers usually keep the final roster spots non-guaranteed and I don't think Beasley agrees to that unless he's assured to get a chance and I am not sure the Lakers are willing to do that.

Why the Lakers are not willing to give Beasley a guaranteed contract is surprising given how he is a low-risk, high-reward option. While Beasley brings along with him some potential off-court drama, Adam Fromal of Bleacher Report beleives that none of the potential negatives can trump the upside particularly because Beasley is capable of playing a position of need (small forward) on what is surely a very cheap contract.

Michael Beasley has certainly underachieved in every team that he has played but he is still only 25 years old and won't turn 26 until January of next year. There is also the possibility that he is a late bloomer who is just waiting for the right time and place to come around - one that he has still yet to find at this point in his career.