Fresh off a good season in China, Michael Beasley has reportedly garnered interest from several NBA teams. According to ESPN’s Marc Stein, he’ll likely end up with a contender once the Chinese Basketball Association ends with the Finals in late March.
A clutch of NBA teams, I’m told, are tracking Michael Beasley as he nears a return from China. Last seen in the NBA last season with Miami, Beasley has played his way into contention for a late-season contract back home after a strong season in which he’s established himself a 40-plus percent shooter from 3-point range while leading Shandong to the playoffs for the first time in more than a half-decade with a slew of gaudy numbers.
Beasley’s done the whole NBA comeback routine before, but his skill set is so tantalizing that it’s understandable why teams continue to take chances on him. Of course, talent has never been the question when it comes to Beasley; the concern has always been with his mental approach to the game.
If he’s honed that aspect and is indeed a reliable shooter from deep, then maybe it’s worth one more roll of the dice for a playoff team looking for a little more depth. Here are five such teams that could possibly benefit from Beasley’s services.
Chicago Bulls
The Bulls need depth on the wing and more perimeter shooting. If that’s all Beasley manages to provide, that’s a win for the Bulls. He doesn’t put them over the top by any means, but added shooting makes any team that much more dangerous. Defensively, though, Beasley might make Chicago fans appreciate Doug McDermott.
Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies always need shooting, yet they somehow always fail to address that need. In Beasley, they’d have a cheap, nearly risk-free option. We say risk-free because adding Beasley to a team of Lance Stephenson, Zach Randolph, Tony Allen and Matt Barnes is the chemical formula for disaster. On the other hand, JaMychal Green is basically a better, more consistent version of Beasley without the excess baggage.
Dallas Mavericks
Maybe he’d help them, maybe he wouldn’t, but it’d be pure comedy to see Rick Carlisle try and handle Beasley. And from a basketball perspective, the Mavericks’ reserve-heavy units could certainly use more scoring punch, even if Beasley’s aversion to defense might compound an existing issue.
Los Angeles Clippers
He’d be like the bizarro Luc Richard Mbah A Moute: all offense, no defense. The Jeff Green trade slightly addressed the Clippers’ wing concerns, and Beasley could further help in that area…by like a fraction of a percent. Plus, Los Angeles could use some more depth up front with Blake Griffin sideline for another few weeks due to a broken punching hand.
Miami Heat
Yes, this would be Beasley’s fiftieth go-around with the Heat, but it makes sense this time. With Chris Bosh’s status for this season uncertain and the Heat losing players to injury left and right, why not bring in Beasley to give the team 10 or 15 minutes or so off the bench? He’s familiar with the system and the players, and might actually be able to help this time.
(ESPN)
