Bradley Beal in Purple and Gold? It’s a nice thought… just don’t hold your breath. Despite a recent Athletic report listing the Lakers among four teams Beal has his eyes on — alongside the Warriors, Clippers, and Bucks — the fit in L.A. isn’t exactly seamless. Lakers insider Jovan Buha pulled no punches in his latest take: “I think it’s unlikely that he ends up being a Laker.” Why?
It starts with the math, both financial and positional. The Lakers only have access to the $5.1 million Bi-Annual Exception, and the Clippers, for instance, can offer a bit more flexibility with their $5.3 million non-taxpayer MLE. “They might have opened up a starting shooting guard spot for him,” Buha noted, adding that Beal could see a larger role there. As for L.A., Buha made it clear, too.
“He’d probably be a bench player, to be completely honest.” A starting lineup of Luka, LeBron, Beal, and Austin Reaves? “I don’t think that makes much sense,” he said, citing defensive concerns and a lack of size if Rui Hachimura is swapped out. Meanwhile, Milwaukee looms as perhaps the most intriguing destination. Buha pointed out that Beal could “start, put up big numbers next to Giannis, maybe even be their second-leading scorer.”
In other words, if Beal’s aiming to rehab his value, the Bucks might be the fast track. So while the Lakers are on Beal’s list, technically, don’t expect that jersey swap to actually happen. Too crowded, too expensive, and too many better fits elsewhere. What happens next, though? Come back here to find out as we get to the bottom of this plot!
(This is a developing story…)
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