8 Teams that Could Trade for Malik Beasley
Malik Beasley’s fit on the 2021–2022 Timberwolves and beyond is a bit of a hot-button topic for fans across Wolves nation. Many believe the flame throwing scorer is the key component to an elite offense next season, while others believe he could be traded right away to fetch a player that better fits the core of Anthony Edwards, D’Angelo Russell, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Jaden McDaniels. Regardless of what you think about his future with the team, the fact is Malik Beasley is a good young offensive player and is on a solid contract. He could be a target of other teams around the league that are in need of 3 point firepower who may sense a “buy low” opportunity with Malik. So who are the teams that could potentially make a call on Malik, and what could they offer that would tempt the Wolves to pull the trigger? Let’s find out!
All statistics via basketball-reference.com
All contract/salary numbers via spotrac.com
Los Angeles Lakers
Why would they want Malik?
First off, the idea of a deal with the Lakers was first brought up by Troy Asseln in THIS ARTICLE he wrote about the Wolves potentially going for Kyle Kuzma. Read Troy, read Zone Coverage MN.
Anyway it got me thinking about what the Lakers would want in return for Kuzma, and Malik Beasley just makes too much sense for them. The banged up Lakers were run out of the gym in the first round of this year’s playoffs in large part because they put up some truly pitiful offensive numbers. They were completely outclassed behind the 3pt line where the Suns have competent shooters and the Lakers have streaky guys who all happened to be having a bad series at the same time. This led the Suns to pack the paint on LeBron and Davis and completely leave the 3pt. line open. They need someone who can credibly stretch the defense when spotting up and who can have specific plays drawn up for them to shoot off of movement. Beasley is absolutely that guy. I can imagine LeBron getting a rebound and looking for Beasley flying down to the opposite 3pt. line every time for easy buckets.
Defensively, Malik has not shown that he is a positive on that end yet. On a team like the Wolves with other negative defenders, that is an issue. On a championship team with great defenders around him, Malik’s energy and effort on that defense could help mitigate any flaws with his size or defensive instincts. Basically, the Lakers have had one of the best defenses in the NBA over the past couple of years and I do not see Beasley hindering that ranking for the future. Overall Malik would be an outstanding fit in LA as he could give them the ability to play more of a run & gun style of offense.
Who could they offer up?
As Troy mentioned in his article, the Lakers could be looking to move on from Kyle Kuzma to find a better fit on their team. He would be the obvious contract and player type that the Wolves would be looking for in this deal. Malik Beasley is under contract for 3 more years ($14 mil, $15 mil, then $16 mil) with the 3rd year being a team option. Basically that means he only has 2 more years of guaranteed money before the team gets to choose if they want to keep him his final year. Kyle Kuzma is about to begin a 3 year contract worth exactly $13 mil per year. Both players’ contracts are very reasonable and nearly the same amount of length and money. Kuzma is also one of the players that is actually under contract for the Lakers for next season, so he is really the only trade chip in a deal like this.
Would the Wolves want Kuzma? I would tend to think he could be a great fit as a role player on this team. Gone are his days of jacking up shots on bad Lakers teams. Kuzma turned himself into an efficient 3pt. shooter at 36% on 5.6 attempts per game this past season and has proven to be a versatile defender who can guard players up and down the positional spectrum. Inserting him into the starting lineup next to Jaden McDaniels would finally give the Wolves multiple credible perimeter defenders that can be positives on the offensive end. If anything, Kuzma may actually be a better fit on the Wolves than he has been with the Lakers since LeBron and Davis arrived.
Do we see a deal being made?
Obviously when predicting trades we are going to be wrong 99% of the time. There are so many other factors that go into teams striking deals with each other, and there are different machinations of deals that we could never even dream of being discussed. With that said, this swap seems to be a bit of a “hand in glove” fit for both teams. Very rarely do the needs, contracts, ages, and skill levels of players line up as cleanly as Kuzma and Beasley. I could absolutely see this type of deal being made, however I believe the Wolves may need to throw in a tiny sweetener to get it done. Not that Kuzma is appreciably better than Beasley, I just think Malik’s legal issues could lower his standing around the league a bit. The Wolves could include a future 2nd round pick or 2 (they have an extra in 2022) to entice LA, and the deal could get done!
Los Angeles Clippers
Why would they want Malik?
Keeping it in LA, the Clippers could be another team that wants more firepower from the 3pt. line. Unlike the Lakers, the Clippers were actually a historically good jump shooting team this past season led by Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Marcus Morris all lighting it up from beyond the arc. Instead of patching other holes on the roster, sometimes teams like to take their best strength and make it even better. Malik Beasley would definitely turbo-charge their already fierce group of shooters. Being a high volume/high percentage shooter from the 3pt. line, Malik could draw even more focus away from the stars on the team, and Ty Lue could have some fun drawing up some plays to free up Malik for plenty of shots while defenses focus on their stars.
Similar to the Lakers, the Clippers already have a solid defensive infrastructure. Adding a defender of Malik’s caliber likely will not hurt them very much, especially because their perimeter defense is already stout. Beasley could easily be a fit on the Clippers as a 6th man or playing with the starting group.
Who could they offer up?
The difficulty with the Clippers trading for Malik is their lack of valuable assets that would interest the Wolves. Of players under contract for next season, who really makes the Wolves consider a deal? Patrick Beverly is 33 and not a huge difference maker any longer. Luke Kennard? He is basically on the same contract as Beasley, but one year behind. Kennard had a rough season averaging about 8 points per game and less than 20 minutes per game. They would clearly need to attach extra assets to him. Would a combination of Ivica Zubac and Terrance Mann be enough for the Wolves to listen? Both players are young and have contributed in the playoffs. Still, the Wolves are not likely in the market for a couple of intriguing pieces. They will want a starter or more accomplished player to fill the void left by Beasley.
Do we see a deal being made?
This is probably one of the more difficult trade scenarios to envision. If the Wolves are moving off of Beasley this offseason, it would almost have to be for a player who is starting caliber or fills a position of need. They have enough “young and intriguing” pieces. It is time for them to make moves that make them better today. Outside of their top players (Leonard, George, & Morris) it does not seem like the Clippers have anyone else who fits that mold. A deal here is very unlikely.
Bucks
Why would they want Malik?
One of my favorite fits on this list. One look at Milwaukee’s offense in the playoffs and it is clear they could use an off ball weapon that can fire up 8–10 threes per game without having to dribble. Right now the Bucks offense looks like their 3 best players (Holiday, Middleton, and Giannis) taking turns isolating to shoot or drive, and it leaves them susceptible to enduring long scoring droughts when the shots are not falling. Enter Beasley, who as we have pointed out, can reliably stretch the floor and makes defenses pay close attention to his off the ball movements. Malik could also give them another gear in transition. Giannis likes to grab rebounds and go immediately, and with him attracting all of the attention on his way to the basket it leaves Beasley open to sprint to the corner for a 3. The same as with the previously mentioned contenders, Beasley just gives these offenses another gear without significantly harming their already great defenses.
Who could they offer up?
The main target for the Wolves in any deal with the Bucks would be Donte DiVincenzo. Milwaukee may try to offer a few cobbled together salaries like a combination of Connaughton, Portis, or Forbes, but the Wolves are not looking for that type of deal in any Beasley trade. They would want a player like DiVincenzo who is young, has plenty of offensive potential, and has developed a reputation as a solid perimeter defender and rebounder at the guard position. He would be a great fit in a guard rotation with DLo, Ant, and Rubio as an off ball shooter/cutter on offense and checking the best perimeter player on defense. The problem would be Milwaukee’s willingness to part with Donte. He is nowhere near the caliber of shooter that Beasley is, but the argument could be made that he actually can contribute more to winning by being great at the little things that guards can do to impact basketball games (setting screens, rebounding, defending hard). While the Wolves would push hard for DiVincenzo, Milwaukee may not be interested in parting with the 3rd year guard.
Do we see a deal being made?
Both teams probably value their shooting guards too much to make a deal work here, but anything is possible. The Wolves are not parting with Beasley for salary filler and 2nd round picks, while the Bucks would have a tough time handing over DiVincenzo who has been a key contributor to some great teams so far in his young career. Plus the salaries are difficult to matchup. With Malik’s $14 million salary next season, the Bucks have to get near that amount to make the money work. DD’s salary for this coming season is about $4.6 million, so they would need to add in both Connaughton and Portis to make it work. That is probably too much for them to give up, and the Wolves likely do not have the roster space for a 3 players for 1 player trade. That leaves limited potential options. One that popped into my head however: Brook Lopez and Donte DiVincenzo for Malik Beasley and Naz Reid. That is two starters gone for Milwaukee, so they would need draft compensation. I also do not know how interested the Wolves would be in a 33 year old center in Lopez with a lot of miles on his legs, but it is an option. In any case, Milwaukee likely wants to “run it back” with their same group and hope DiVincenzo is healthy for the playoffs next season to really see what they have and no deal will get done.
Spurs
Why would they want Malik?
The Spurs are an obvious inclusion on this list because of the fact that they were last in the league this past season in 3pt attempts made and taken and 24th in 3pt percentage. Mix that with the 22nd ranked offense, and you get a team that should be looking for offensive upgrades! They also lost LaMarcus Aldridge midseason last year, and seem primed to let DeMar DeRozan walk in free agency this offseason. They could completely shake up their roster and system by acquiring a true gunner like Beasley who fit in very well alongside point guard Dejounte Murray. Malik immediately injects San Antonio with the juice to score with some of the better offensive teams in the league, and makes sure they are not out-classed on a nightly basis from behind the 3pt line. Their point guard, Murray, is an ace defensive player and a good creator on offense, so Beasley fits right in as a starter next to Murray or off the bench as a spark plug shooter. Sensing an opportunity to add a good young shooter on a solid contract, the Spurs could make an enticing offer.
Who could they offer up?
The Spurs have several young wing players on the roster that could be intriguing to the Wolves and other teams if they choose to make deals including Lonnie Walker IV, Keldon Johnson, and Devin Vassell. Those are all young players with some potential, but I do not believe Gersson Rosas and the Wolves would be interested in trading Beasley for young up-and-comers. He will be looking for players that fit in and help this current roster, so with that the obvious choice would be Derrick White. White is a 6'4" guard who plays both guard positions. He is a solid defender, good distributor and shooter, and overall a smart player. Basically, he is the quintessential San Antonio Spur. Injuries cost him about half the season, but in the games he did play he averaged just over 15 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists in about 30 minutes per game. I think White would interest the Wolves in a Beasley swap because of his ability to play on or off the ball next to DLo and Ant in the back court, and his abilities in the pick and roll with a star like Karl-Anthony Towns. He could be an excellent “connective player” to fill in the gaps between the other star scorers on the Wolves.
At 27 years old to begin next season, White will also be starting a 4 year contract extension worth $70 million. That will begin by paying him about $15 million next season, which is an excellent fit in a swap for Beasley’s $14 million contract.
Do we see a deal being made?
A trade of Malik Beasley for Derrick White makes sense on paper, but once again it will depend on how each team values their player. Currently Beasley’s on-court production and potential are trending better than that of White. BUT his contract is 1 year shorter and he could be looking for a much bigger contract if he lights it up in his few years. White is secured on a solid contract for 4 more years beginning next season, so as long as his production holds steady he is a positive asset for the duration of that deal. Maybe the Spurs see Beasley as a great fit on their team and do not feel that the Wolves need to add draft compensation, but his off court issues could be a hinderance and cause the Wolves to have to sweeten the pot a bit. For a player like White that could start or be a good 6th man, it may be worth it! As always a deal is unlikely, but there could be clear motivations for both teams.
Grizzlies
Why would they want Malik?
The Grizzlies are one of the best fits on paper for a Malik Beasley trade. Similarly to the Spurs they just lack dangerous 3pt shooting evidenced by their 24th rank in the NBA in 3’s made and ranking 23rd in 3pt. percentage. They have several guys that play big minutes who CAN shoot (Ja Morant, Dillon Brooks, Kyle Anderson) but just do not shoot from the 3pt. line very often. Their most dangerous 3pt. threat, Jaren Jackson Jr, was out for most of the season and has not been consistently available for the team in his 3 years. That leads them to be the obvious candidate to make a move for a dangerous shooter this offseason. Malik Beasley could be that threat. He could fit seamlessly in the starting lineup between guards Ja Morant and Dillon Brooks. Morant and Beasley might be a bit rough defensively, but the shots they could create for one another on the offensive end may be enough to ignore their porous defense. As we have discussed, a player like Malik Beasley who forces the defense to keep their eyes on him on the perimeter can open things up on the interior. It just so happens that Ja Morant is one of the best at working his way into the paint and either finishing or dishing back out to the 3pt. line. The two of them could truly be a great match on offense.
Who could they offer up?
So if Memphis is inclined to make a deal for Beasley, who are they offering and who are the Wolves looking for? Minnesota would ask for Dillon Brooks, but Memphis quickly rebukes that request. Brooks was the heart of their team in the play-in/playoff games, so he is staying. The conversations then move to the Grizzlies’ big men to help fill a need for the Wolves. Jaren Jackson Jr? While his value has fallen a bit over the last year, it is doubtful the Grizzlies would give up on JJJ already (he is somehow still only 21!). If the Wolves asked for Jonas Valanciunas there would likely be a conversation, but his contract is expiring after next season and there would be major questions about his fit here with Minnesota. Although he was one of Memphis’ best players this season, no deal would be agreed to. So that leads us to Brandon Clarke, the 2 year veteran who could have been a target for the Wolves in the 2019 draft.
Clarke had a brilliant rookie season in Memphis averaging 12 points and 6 rebounds per game in just over 22 minutes per game. He did that all on 66% true shooting percentage which is incredible for anyone let alone a rookie. He was looking like the power forward of the future in a log-jammed Memphis rotation. Season 2 saw his shooting percentages come back down to earth, and his scoring average dropping despite a slight uptick in minutes. His 3pt. percentage cratered from 36% to 26%, which severely limited his effectiveness when playing with their other big men who clog the paint. He was still a relatively efficient player compared to the rest of the league, but he just was not an outlier as he was previously. With some other young bigs in their rotation (JJJ, Xavier Tillman) and Jonas Valanciunas likely solidified as the center, Memphis could look to move Clarke while his value is still intact to fill other holes on the roster. From a Wolves perspective, injecting a young and athletic 6'8" power forward into their starting lineup and rotation immediately fills a need. With shooters spreading the floor around him and a prodigiously great shooting center, Clarke would have room in the paint once again to score off cuts to the basket or offensive rebounds. He would have been a great fit on the Wolves in 2019 after the draft, and he would be an even better fit now.
Do we see a deal being made?
Memphis is probably going to attempt to make a trade for better 3pt. shooting this offseason. After a playoff season, they could sense an opportunity to build on that momentum and try to kick their offense into gear. That makes it at least plausible that they could strike a deal with the Wolves. The issue is getting the salaries to match up. Clarke is heading into the 3rd season of his inexpensive rookie deal making about $2.7 million next season. To take back Beasley’s $14 million, they would need to add up to about $11.5 million. It just so happens that D’Anthony Melton, another Grizzlies guard, makes $8.8 million next year which adds up to exactly $11.5 million! So Beasley for Clarke & Melton. The Wolves would need to add picks to make this work as that trade would see Memphis sending away 2 young rotation players that have been really good for them so far. A future lottery protected 1st rounder could be offered. If Memphis is not interested in that deal, they could throw in Justise Winslow’s expiring $13 million contract (they would have to pick up the team option) for next season instead of Melton. That would be a deal of Clarke & Winslow for Beasley. Once a highly regarded young player, Winslow has not played significant minutes in a couple of years because of injury. He would mostly be salary filler in this deal, and the Wolves would not add any other assets to Beasley. Once again, a deal here makes sense on paper to fill obvious holes for both teams, so something could certainly happen.
Knicks
Why would they want Malik?
The team that showed the most interest in signing Malik Beasley as a restricted free agent in 2020 was the New York Knicks. They were allegedly set to offer him an expensive contract, but the Wolves’ front office worked quickly to get him signed before any offers came in. Now with the Knicks being ahead of schedule in their rebuild after a playoff season, they may be looking to hit the gas pedal by acquiring Beasley via trade. The Knicks boasted one of the league’s best defenses, and their offense did just enough to get them into the playoffs as a 4 seed. Unfortunately the lack of offensive firepower came back to haunt them in the playoffs against a loaded Hawks offense as they flamed out in a 5 game first round loss. So it is likely their priority in the 2021 offseason will be to add dangerous 3pt. threats to emphasize the offensive games of Derrick Rose, Julius Randle, and RJ Barrett. Those 3 players are best with the ball in their hands so Beasley will be free to roam the perimeter as he did with the Wolves searching for an opening to catch and shoot 3’s. He would immediately boost their offensive weaponry to make sure they can jack up 3’s with teams like Atlanta, and their great defense should be able to account for any miscues on that end from Malik.
Who could they offer up?
Unlike other teams on this list, the Knicks do not have an obvious mid-tier salaried player that would be a candidate to interest the Wolves. Julius Randle and RJ Barrett would be off the table, so that only leaves a host of young players on their rookie contracts to trade. Kevin Knox? Wolves should not be interested. Obi Toppin and Immanuel Quickley? It is likely that the Knicks see them both as part of the future, so they are probably not on the table. That essentially leaves Mitchell Robinson who is heading into the final year of his rookie contract. Because of injuries, Robinson only logged 31 games this past season and was not as good as he was in his 2nd year. If New York chooses to resign Nerlens Noel, Robinson could be an expendable piece this offseason before they have to pay him. On the Wolves he could slot in as the starting center who plays about 24 minutes per game. He could give the Wolves the ability to go big, but will not demand enough minutes to where they would hesitate to have him on the bench during crunch time. It is not a perfect fit, but Robinson is an intriguing young player that still has lots of upside to tap into.
Do we see a deal being made?
So this one comes with a major caveat. The only way the Wolves would consider a deal like this is if they end up needing to clear salary under the luxury tax (meaning they are trying to execute a sign & trade or need to clear space for another deal). With the Knicks having mounds of cap space available, they do not need to send back salary to nearly equal Beasley’s $14 million. They can just absorb his salary into their space. Mitchell Robinson for example will only make $1.8 million next season, so a Beasley for Robinson swap saves the Wolves $12 million and provides the flexibility to make other moves if needed. Ideally they would also get draft assets from the Knicks in this situation along with Robinson, but it will depend how desperate the Wolves are to get something done. As it stands now, the Wolves are under the luxury tax line so if no significant moves are available for them to make elsewhere, it would deem trading Beasley to the Knicks as highly unlikely.
Pacers
Why would they want Malik?
Full transparency, I am not certain the Pacers would have any interest in acquiring Malik Beasley. They are on this list more to give us an opportunity to discuss a trade of Myles Turner to the Wolves. BUT Beasley could still be of service to Indiana. They finished last season with the 18th most 3’s made in the league, and 17th in 3pt. percentage. They have multiple decent to good shooters in their rotation such as Malcolm Brogdon, Domantas Sabonis, Doug McDermott, Myles Turner, Jeremy Lamb, Justin Holiday, and others. Beasley’s 3pt. gunning is not necessarily a need, but he does give them an extra dash of athleticism and firepower that their 14th ranked offense could use. Sabonis is a big man that is used similarly to the Wolves use of Karl-Anthony Towns. They throw it to him to initiate offense in the high and low post, and expect him to pass out of double teams or score. He is especially adept at finding shooters on the perimeter with accurate passes. It has worked well for their current shooters, and Malik Beasley could fit nicely into a 2 man game with Sabonis.
Who could they offer up?
If the Wolves were to enter into discussions for with Indiana for Malik Beasley, they would/should be after one guy: Myles Turner. Rumors of the Wolves interest in Turner have stretched back to last offseason as he would seem to be an intriguing fit next to Karl-Anthony Towns to form a supersized yet highly skilled front court. Defensively Turner is a rim protecting machine who averaged a career high 3.4 blocks per game in 47 games. Rim protection just happens to be one of the Wolves biggest weaknesses at the moment, and Turner’s presence would obviously help that cause. They also struggle to rebound defensively, and another 7 footer in the lineup certainly cannot hurt.
The main question is how willing Indiana would be to part with Turner. He has been a defensive stalwart in Indiana for the past couple years, and he is under contract at a reasonable salary ($17.5 million) for 2 more years. Teams do not typically part with players like that, however the Pacers are in a stage of transition. They will be on their 3rd coach in the past 3 seasons at the beginning of next year, and could be interested in leaning hard into Sabonis and recent draft pick Goga Bitadze as their big men of the future while cashing in on Myles Turner while he still has significant value.
Do we see a deal being made?
I could see the Wolves being very motivated to pursue a deal like this, but the Pacers interest is more difficult to evaluate. Turner has a longer track record of success than Beasley, and is just likely more valuable at this time. So how could the Wolves entice Indiana to agree? It could take a lottery protected first round pick, or potentially another young Wolves player to push it over the edge, or both. Would Beasley, Okogie, and a future 1st do it? The salaries would be about even and the Pacers would turn Turner’s salary slot into a sharpshooter and a defensive ace while acquiring a future 1st round pick for their troubles. Gersson Rosas has been known to be very persistent in his trade dealings so far as a President of Basketball Operations, so if there is truth to the Wolves’ interest in Myles Turner then I would expect he continues to make calls to Indiana. It is unlikely, but maybe Indiana finally finds a package that works for them.
Mavericks
Why would they want Malik?
The Dallas Mavericks made a mistake last season when they dealt Seth Curry and his ridiculously effective 3pt. shot to the 76ers for guard/wing Josh Richardson. While the trade seemed fair at the time, it is clear that Curry is the more valuable player at this moment. If the Mavs could undo that trade, they probably would. Trading for Malik Beasley could give them a chance to right their past wrongs. Beasley is not quite the same shooter as Curry when it comes to accuracy, but he is younger, bigger, and can provide functionally the same type of sharp shooting that Curry brings. In the playoffs it was a real hinderance to Dallas that they had precious few 3pt. shooting options to play next to Luka. Porzingis was relegated to spotting up in the corner to provide a bit of space for their superstar guard, but the Clippers still had no problem helping off of players like Dorian Finney-Smith and Josh Richardson. It got to the point where they basically did not play Josh Richardson in their final few playoff games and instead opted to keep Tim Hardaway Jr. on the court for huge minutes. Beasley would offer another option to fire up 3’s, take pressure off of Luka, and add some athleticism in their transition game. Next to Luka’s other-worldly playmaking, Beasley could absolutely match or exceed the shooting numbers he put up with the Wolves (39.9% on 8.7 3’s per game).
Who could they offer up?
The Mavericks could be an ideal team for the Wolves to do business with this Summer. They have just hired a new head coach and front office, and are going to be very motivated to please their superstar player who is going to sign a supermax contract extension this offseason. If Luka demands more shooting, they will get him more shooting. A player that could interest the Wolves as a starting point is 29 year old power forward Maxi Kleber. At 6'10" he has ideal size to play power forward, but has shown enough foot speed to be able to guard on the perimeter a bit. Most notably he was assigned as the primary defender for Kawhi Leonard in the past two playoff runs. Kawhi dominates everybody, but it was noticeable how much Kleber’s length and strength bothered him. He has a solid all-around game that would fit perfectly as a low usage starting power forward for the Wolves, and it just so happens that he shot 41% from the 3pt. line on over 4 attempts per game. That’s a good fit! His contract is another positive attribute. Kleber has 2 years left on his deal that will pay him $8.75 million next season.
Other players the Wolves could target from Dallas would be Josh Richardson (if he picks up his $11.6 million player option), Dorian-Finney Smith ($4 million next season) or Jalen Brunson ($1.8 million next season). None of these guys are enough to exchange for Beasley in my opinion, but a combination with Kleber could be enticing.
Do we see a deal being made?
As I mentioned, the Mavericks seem like they will make deals this offseason. After two consecutive 1st round exits and Luka heading into a supermax contract they need to act now to surround him with requisite pieces. Malik Beasley could be the right age and have the right skillset to mix well with the current Dallas roster. The Wolves will not move Beasley for Kleber alone, so they will likely need to throw in another player. If I am Gersson Rosas, I am targeting Jalen Brunson to mix with Kleber. Brunson was a 6th man of the year candidate, so Minnesota might need to add a future 2nd round pick, but it would immediately solve their starting power forward and backup point guard positions. If they will not budge on Brunson, a deal could be structured around Beasley and Culver for Kleber, Richardson, and a couple 2nd round picks. Richardson’s stock has fallen greatly over the past couple of seasons. But in a contract year as a 6th or 7th man in Minnesota he could revitalize himself as he searches for the next pay day. I think it is very likely that the Mavericks make a deal sometime this offseason to acquire more 3pt. shooting, and the Wolves seem to be an ideal trade partner.
-Jerry W.
