In the summer of 2018, when the Los Angeles Lakers signed LeBron James, they tried to surround him with savvy veterans to help offset the significant number of young players on the roster. One of those attempted names was Michael Beasley.
Beasley did not play much for the Lakers, and when he did, it left much to be desired. Ultimately, rifts between Beasley, head coach Luke Walton, and the Lakers organization led to him being traded to the L.A. Clippers — along with Ivica Zubac — for Mike Muscala. The deal was criticized at the time and in hindsight, but it was mainly to get Beasley off the roster.