avatar

NBA Draft: Heat Souring on Beasley?

by Tommy Dee on May 1st, 2008 at 12:14 pm

Assuming the Heat are awarded the first overall pick at the NBA Lottery, which takes place in Secaucus in a few weeks, they may not be sold on Kansas State forward Michael Beasley, the Kansas City Star is reporting.

A scout for a team in the Eastern Conference thinks Miami has a real dilemma on its hands if it goes first, even though it looks as if the Heat is point-guard challenged because Jason Williams is free-agent material, Marcus Banks still has some proving to do, and Chris Quinn probably is best suited as a reserve.

“Miami is trying to take the pressure off Dwyane Wade from handling the ball, so Rose really, really would free him up from injuries and doing so much work,” the scout said, “but it also doesn’t make a whole lot of sense passing up Michael Beasley.”

I’ve had Beasley as the top pick all year, he reminds me of a young Derrick Coleman, which may not be a good thing. But, he can play both inside and outside and is lefty which is such an advantage when trying to get your shot off inside. (See the scoring ability of athletically challenged Zach Randolph.) One prominent Big East assistant once told me if he had an all lefty starting five “he’d never lose a game.”

Athletic AND lefty? That’s special. Sure Rose and Wade would be an instant impact backcourt, and knowing Sir Grease A’ Lot, Riley may be angling to trade down. If so Donnie Walsh should be quick to pick up the phone.
  • Double B

    I dont think the Knickerbockers should be getting wrapped up in trading up for a guy like Beasley. Yes, he is extremely talented, but how would he cope with playing on a team that will struggle to win 30 games next year? If anything, we should trade the pick down if we can unload a contract. The entire management strategy for the next 2 years must revolve around signing Lebron in 2010. Thats all. And now, with Ratner to the point where building an arena for the Nets in Brooklyn is becoming even more difficult, a move to the Prudential Center in Newark is more likely…..Would Lebron rather play for the Newark Nets of New Jersey, or the New York Knicks?? Any intelligent Knick fan should be praying Ratner’s Brooklyn Nets plan falls through, for this reason alone.

  • Truth

    It is highly unlikely the Knicks are getting the first pick in the draft. If we get the first pick, we hit the home run with Derrick Rose. Anything but 1, and if I’m Donnie, I’m trading whatever pick we have -(hopefully top 3, cause anything other than that doesn’t really carry much trade value, IMO)- and demanding that whomever gets the pick must take Zach Randolph in the deal. As Double B said, and I agree, the main goal should be to get under the cap by 2010 to have a shot at LBJ or Dwyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyane. It’s time to get an attraction that’s going to put butts back in the seats at the world’s most famous arena.

  • Pingback: The Knicks Blog » Vescey: Derrick Coleman Needs New Heart