How Michael Beasley Can Help the Houston Rockets
Michael Beasley is heading back to the NBA after a successful stint in the Chinese Basketball League. According to ESPN sources, Beasley agreed to a league minimum contract with the Houston Rockets that has a team option for the next season.
Houston is looking to improve their position heading into the final two months of the season. The Rockets are currently clinging on the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference standings with a 30-31 record.
The 27-year-old last played with the Miami Heat in the 2014-2015 season, averaging 8.8 points in 24 games, per Beasley's official NBA profile. He was drafted second overall by the Heat in 2008 while also playing with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Phoenix Suns.
Beasley Mode
What can Beasley bring to the Rockets? The answer is scoring as he is known to have the ability to create his own shots. He has a career average of 13.0 points while shooting 45 percent from the field and 34.3 percent from threes in seven NBA seasons. The former second overall pick showed that he can be a good scorer in the NBA back in 2011 when he averaged 19.2 points.
While playing for Shanghai Golden Stars this season, he posted an average of 31.9 points, 13.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 36.5 minutes, per Real GM. According to The Score, Beasley was named the 2015-2016 Foreign MVP of the CBA for his efforts. It did not go unnoticed by his peers, including former Heat teammate Dwyane Wade.
"He's a talent. He's done well in China, man. It's not a bad thing to go somewhere and to be wanted and feel confident in your abilities. Good for him," Wade said as quoted by the Palm Beach Post.
However, it's not the only question about Beasley and his character. Can he avoid off-court issues that have plagued him his entire NBA career?
Beasley 4/20
According to an ESPN report back in 2009, he was fined $50,000 for an incident at the 2008 Rookie Transition Program wherein police smelled marijuana inside his hotel room. He then entered a rehabilitation facility before the 2009-2010 season but did not provide any details if it was drug related.
NBA.com also mentioned that before his first game with the Timberwolves in 2011, he was ticketed by the Minnesota police for speeding and possession of marijuana.While playing for the Suns, he was arrested for drug possession. What drug? If you guessed marijuana, you're correct. He was arrested by Scottsdale police after finding some weed inside his car, per USA Today.
The Rockets are signing a player with potential and NBA experience but his off-court issues is a big red flag for any team. He's also going to a Houston team with chemistry issues and only after the season will we find out if Beasley truly helped the Rockets.
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