Malik Beasley's bounce-back campaign with the Milwaukee Bucks has quietly been among the most pleasant league-wide surprises of 2023-24. After sorely disappointing following a midseason trade to the Los Angeles Lakers a year ago, the veteran sharpshooter opted to sign a minimum deal with the Bucks in free agency, turning down a bigger offer from the purple and gold for the lure of a guaranteed role with a top-tier title contender.
Halfway through the regular season, Beasley's decision has more than paid off. He hasn't just started each of Milwaukee's 38 games next to Damian Lillard in the backcourt, but re-established himself as one of the league's most reliable long-range shooters while rising to the challenge of defending the opposing team's top perimeter threat on a near nightly basis.
Beasley is overstretched in that “stopper” role, especially against quality competition. The Bucks could use another impact rotation player before the trade deadline comes and goes, no doubt looking for a wing better suited to defend stars than Beasley. Even if Bucks general manager Jon Horst and company manage to bring in that type of player with extremely limited stable of assets, though, Beasley's place on the team is secure. The league leader in three-point percentage on high volume is pretty much guaranteed regular minutes, especially when he's not an abject defensive liability.
Beasley seems fully confident his red-hot 48.1% long-range shooting this season is no fluke, too. Asked if he's the “best shooter” in the NBA, the 27-year-old definitely didn't disagree.
“Yes, I do feel like I'm one of the best shooters in the league,” Beasley told Shams Charania of The Athletic and STADIUM on Tuesday. “Obviously there's lots of guys who can put the ball in the hole. I'm not trying to be cocky or anything, I'm just confident right now. I'm real confident in my work, I've been putting in work every day, and it's showing. Like I said, not to be complacent, that's the main thing I'm focused on right now. Just don't get bored with success, keep doing my work, keep recovering and things like that.”
Malik Beasley makes case for 3-point shootout at All-Star weekend
Malik Beasley is shooting the ball better than ever, but has been one of the league's most prolific three-point marksmen for years. He's shot at least 35.7% from deep on a heavy diet of difficult attempts ever since 2018-19, his third year in the league.
An invitation to the three-point contest at All-Star weekend has eluded him regardless, something he's actively working to change as the midseason festivities in Indianapolis loom a few weeks from now.
“I feel like I have deserved to go for the last couple years, but especially this year. I'm leading the league in three-point percentage,” Beasley said. “God forbid, I wanna continue that. Yeah, I deserve to be in the three-point contest. I've always wanted to be in it. I think I can win it. I've been talking a lot of talk with [Damian Lillard], he's been helping me out. Other than that, I believe I should be in it. I've worked hard and I'm shooting at a high rate right now.”
Beasley hasn't just been getting help from Lillard about being included in this year's event, either. He wants to beat the reigning three-point shootout champion head-to-head, too, recently insisting there would be a “new sheriff in town” if he's invited to Indianapolis.
Los Angeles lights weren't too bright for Malik Beasley
Malik Beasley isn't just lighting it up from deep this season. He's hitting a solid 53.3% of his twos as well, the second-highest clip of his career and a nearly five-point spike compared to last season. Who could use Beasley's blend of constant floor-spacing, hyper-efficient scoring and willing one-on-one defense? Pretty much any team in basketball, actually, but especially the three-point starved Lakers.
Beasley started 14 games with Los Angeles shortly after arriving as part of the Russell Westbrook trade, slotting in to play a very similar role next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis he's thriving in alongside Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo. He just never found his footing as a Laker, though, shooting just 34.0% from deep as a starter before being sent to the bench then phased out of the rotation entirely come playoff time.
Were the bright light of LA too much for Beasley? That's been a common talking point among Lakers fans amid his success in Milwaukee, but Beasley swears other factors contributed to his disappointing tenure in purple and gold.
“Obviously LA is LA. Lights are always brighter, but I live for those moments. I'm not running away from the pressure. I like pressure,' he said. “I don't think it was necessarily the pressure of the lights. Like I said, I think I had off-court things I could've been better at and from my past issues, just focusing on that. Other than that, nah, I didn't make the shots that I wanted to. But I don't think it was because of the lights.”
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