After agreeing to terms with LeBron James in free agency, the Los Angeles Lakers moved to sign a slew of veterans to fill out their roster. In what was a surprise to even himself, Michael Beasley was part of that equation.
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Although teams have historically surrounded James with knock-down shooters, the Lakers went in the direction of constructing a roster that featured versatility, play makers and a defensive mindset. The front office championed Beasley as checking off each of those traits.
Despite reports of impressive showings throughout training camp, Beasley didn’t gain much traction during the preseason. He suffered two minor injuries that prevented him from finishing separate games, and has been used sparingly thus far in the regular season.
With the Lakers set to face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday, it was announced Beasley is not with the team, per Mike Trudell:
Michael Beasley (personal reasons) is not with the team tonight.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) October 29, 2018
Beasley has appeared in half of the Lakers’ six games entering play against the Timberwolves, and only logged a combined 11 minutes this season. He was considered to be an option at backup center but the bulk of those opportunities have been extended to Kyle Kuzma and more recently Jonathan Williams.
When Beasley may return from the personal matter he was excused to tend to is unclear. His absence comes on the same night as Brandon Ingram returning from a four-game suspension.
The Lakers next play Wednesday, when the face the Dallas Mavericks at Staples Center.
