NBA insider Jovan Buha of The Athletic doesn’t believe shooting guard Malik Beasley and center Mo Bamba will be back with the Los Angeles Lakers next season.
Beasley has a team option worth $16.5 million, while Bamba has a $10.3 million non-guaranteed salary.
“I think LeBron James ($46.9 million), Anthony Davis ($40.6 million), Austin Reaves (about $12.5 million if he signs for the Arenas Provision max), Rui Hachimura ($15 to $18 million), Jarred Vanderbilt ($4.7 million) and Max Christie ($1.7 million) are likely on next season’s roster,” Buha wrote. “Beyond that, it gets murky.
“The two players it’s appearing won’t be back are Mo Bamba and Malik Beasley, if only because of their contracts. With the aforementioned six names expected to return, the Lakers would be at around $120 million to $125 million — depending on the salary of Hachimura — in salary before factoring in cap holds or empty roster charges,” Buha explained. “Bamba’s $10.3 million non-guaranteed salary and Beasley’s $16.5 million team option, and they’re pushing $150-plus million with just eight players — and that’s before including free agents like D’Angelo Russell, Dennis Schröder or Lonnie Walker IV.”
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The Lakers acquired Beasley from the Utah Jazz and Bamba from the Orlando Magic at the February trade deadline. Beasley averaged 11.1 points while shooting 35.3% from beyond the arc with Los Angeles, while Bamba put up 3.7 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.
Beasley was removed from the Lakers’ playoff rotation starting in the second round against the Golden State Warriors. Meanwhile, Bamba had an ankle injury and only played in three postseason games. Los Angeles made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals. However, the Denver Nuggets swept the Lakers behind the stellar play of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.
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It will be interesting to see if Buha is correct about Beasley and Bamba. Both players should have markets if they become unrestricted free agents.
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