Lakers Free Agency Rumors: Bradley Beal Had No Interest in Playing With Luka Doncic and LeBron James 

The Bradley Beal domino fell on Wednesday, seeing him join the LA Clippers over the LA Lakers, Golden State Warriors and the Milwaukee Bucks after reaching a buyout with the Phoenix Suns. Beal gave up $13.1 million in the buyout agreement and signed a two-year $11 million contract with the Clippers, joining forces with Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.

It was a done deal for several weeks, but other teams continued pursuing him. The Lakers and Bucks were highly interested. Beal shared a mutual interest with the Bucks only. As for the Lakers, he didn’t have much interest in repping the Purple and Gold, despite the lure of playing next to LeBron James and Luka Doncic.

Here’s what NBA insider Brett Siegel reported:

"Beal did not show a lot of interest in playing for the Lakers despite the team holding extensive conversations with him and his representation."

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The Lakers didn't have full access to the Bi-Annual exception after using part of it to re-sign Jaxson Hayes on a one-year deal. They couldn't offer Beal as much money as the Clippers and the role he was looking for.

LA's backcourt seems set with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. With LeBron James also having a significant usage rate, Bradley Beal's opportunities on offense would have been limited.

That dynamic changes on the Clippers. Beal can be the secondary scorer and playmaker behind Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, respectively. Both roles would be better than what he had in Phoenix and would have potentially had with the Lakers.

Losing Bradley Beal not that big a deal for the Lakers

While acquiring Bradley Beal on a minimum contract would have been a solid deal, going all in on him wasn't the Lakers' end game. LA is looking to round out its roster based on its needs. With multiple ball-dominant players, finding a role for Beal would have complicated things.

The Lakers instead need players who fit specific roles. One key area is perimeter defense to support the trio of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and LeBron James. The Lakers are after 3-and-D players, who can play on both ends and thrive off the ball. Beal doesn't fit that description.

As a sixth man scorer, he would have been an excellent fit, but it's unlikely that he would have accepted that role.

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About the author

Arhaan Raje

Arhaan Raje is an Assistant Content Manager and Senior Writer with Sportskeeda's NBA/WNBA team with four years of experience.

Arhaan focuses on features, trends, listicles, and the latest rumors and reports circling the league's top teams and players. He emphasizes detailed research to create impactful content for readers. A fan of Xs and Os, Arhaan provides technical deep dives in his reporting.

Arhaan completed his bachelor's degree in BBA in Media and Entertainment Management from Mumbai, India.

Arhaan admires the killer mentality of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. He respects LeBron James for being a role model on and off the court. The bold and decisive Gregg Popovich stands out as Arhaan's favorite basketball coach. LeBron's epic chase-down block in the 2016 NBA Finals has a special place in Arhaan's basketball memories.

He has interviewed former NBA Defensive Player of the Year Gary Payton and Ronnie 2K, the face of NBA2k and Marketing Director.

Sports isn't the only passion he has pursued professionally. Arhaan is also into performing arts in the music industry as a percussionist.

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