Malik Beasley believes his brief run with the Los Angeles Lakers could have looked very different under better circumstances.
Beasley arrived in Los Angeles at the 2023 trade deadline as part of the deal that sent Russell Westbrook to the Utah Jazz.
While much of the attention centered on D’Angelo Russell returning to the franchise, Beasley was viewed as a valuable addition thanks to his elite perimeter shooting.
However, things never clicked for the veteran guard in Los Angeles.
“Man, I wish I had played better with the Lakers,” Beasley said speaking during a livestream with content creator N3on,.
Beasley admitted he still looks back on that period with regret, “I was going through a lot of mental sh– at that time.”
Beasley went on to explain that the challenges extended far beyond basketball and affected him throughout his time with the franchise.
“People don’t even think about all the outside noise, like your regular life outside of basketball,” Beasley noted. “Like for me, I didn’t know where to live so I lived in Beverly Hills, but it was like 40 minutes away from the arena and 40 minutes away from the practice facility. So you had to pick which one, either you wanted to live close to the arena or close to the practice facility. You go to Utah, everything is in the same gym.
“So that part and then obviously public issues with my teammates and other stuff like that. And then my own issues at home with my ex. So just wasn’t the best mentally when I was playing for the Lakers and if I could go back I would destroy it for that sh– again. But I did break a record. Seven 3-pointers in one half, only me and Kobe Bryant.”
Since leaving Los Angeles, Beasley has reminded everyone of the talent that made him such an intriguing addition in the first place.
Just two years later, he nearly led the NBA in made three-pointers with the Detroit Pistons and finished second in Sixth Man of the Year voting.
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