Beasley shipped to Minnesota; misses out on Miami’s big 3
As LeBron James’ controversial decision unfolded, it seemed that the Cleveland hopefuls—and Cavaliers’ General Manager Dan Gilbert, above all—were not the only ones who took the news unfavorably. With Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and James eating up Miami Heat’s cap space of $58 million, the Heat decided to part ways with their prized draft pick Michael Beasley.
Beasley—picked No. 2 overall in the 2008 draft—was reportedly shipped to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for 2011 second-round pick and a swap of future first-round picks. Minnesota is set to absorb Beasley’s $4.9 million salary.
Although Beasley was a solid contributor, averaging 14.8 points and 6.2 rebounds last season for the Heat, he was often used sparingly in endgames because he plays an indistinct position. A number of times in the regular season, the Heat played Beasley at small forward, power forward and even center. This confusion has put Beasley in a precarious situation, now magnified with the arrival of Bosh and James.
Beasley also carries a tainted reputation of being somewhat of a distraction in the offseason. As a rookie, he was involved in a drug-related incident with fellow rookies Mario Chalmers and Darrell Arthur at the Rookie Transition Program and was subsequently fined for rule breaking. The following summer, Beasley was entangled in another drug-related issue, thanks to photos he posted on Twitter, whioh showed what appeared to be illegal druugs on the table behind him. The scandal ended with Beasley checking into a Houston rehabilitation hospital, as well as sessions with former NBA player and coach John Lucas, who has a reputation for turning troubled players around.
Prior to the Minnesota deal, rumors of a four-way trade involving the Heat, Toronto Raptors, Charlotte Bobcats and Houston Rockets circulated. The deal would have sent Beasley and the Rockets’ Jared Jeffries to the Bobcats, Tyson Chandler to Houston, and produced a sign-and-trade for Chris Bosh.
Had the trade pushed through, it would have been a massive upgrade for the Bobcats, a team that has never had an offensive big man since Emeka Okafor. Beasley’s addition would have added at least 20 more points to the team with the league’s lowest point total last season.
Minnesota, on the other hand, may have a difficult time delegating minutes for its frontcourt, which is now jam-packed with Beasley, Al Jefferson, Kevin Love, Darko Milicic and Nikola Pekovic from Greece. The logjam at the forward position may mean that at least one of these players will be traded before the season begins. Even Timberwolves president David Kahn admitted that the fate of everybody on the Timberwolves roster is “open for discussion.”
Now that the young Beasley is gone, only guard Mario Chalmers is officially on the roster. Wade, Bosh and James have yet to sign their respective contracts. The Heat is currently on the prowl for players who are willing to sign up for the veteran’s minimum. Some names that are out on the market are Randy Foye, former Heat Keyon Dooling and current Heat free agent forwards Quentin Richardson and Dorell Wright. Mike Miller is also on the Heat’s radar, as the team needs to address their need for shooters on the roster.
Team president Pat Riley downplays his team’s rejuvenated star power and remains proactive in filling out the remaining spots with quality players. “You might have to recruit in a lot of different, creative ways,” he said. “We’ll start building. Really recruit.”
However, the promise of Wade, Bosh and James in the same lineup might not necessitate an aggressive recruitment approach. Bosh understands this. “Guys are going to want to come play here,” he said. Somewhere, Michael Beasley must be nodding in agreement.
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