Is Michael Beasley Expendable?
After being down for a couple of days for revamping, the new Rant Sports is ready to go. If you were a reader from Wolves Court, you already know me, but for those who don’t, I’m Riley Schmitt. I am your lead blogger for the Minnesota Timberwolves at Rant Sports. I also write a bunch of different columns during the week for different blogs here. Without any further ado, let’s get into my first official column with the new-look Rant Sports.
As we await the end of the NBA lockout, the Timberwolves roster is full of young, talented players. The T’Wolves drafted Derrick Williams, the star forward from Arizona, with the second pick in the NBA Draft. Williams projects to be a very good player in the years to come. However, Williams isn’t seen as a starter right now. That role belongs to Michael Beasley. Beasley, also a former number two pick, is coming off his best year as a pro scoring wise. He also projects to be a solid player for years to come. He’s also a free agent at the end of this season. In the eyes of many, the Timberwolves have to pick between Williams or Beasley. The question is, is Beasley actually expendable?
In my eyes, Beasley sticking around can be a good thing. He’s only 22, and has a lot of developing still do. He can get his shot at any time, and can drop 20 points a night. His defense has been a negative so far, and there are questions if he has the ambition to improve there. There are also questions about his ability to lead a team. His numerous run-ins with the law speak volumes. Beasley has been to rehab for marijuana use, and he was recently ticketed for it again. There’s a chance it could eventually lead to a suspension. GM David Kahn has to ask himself if he thinks Beasley can be the superstar this team desperately needs or if his personal problems could eventually torpedo the team.
Beasley is on the hook for a modest 6.2 million dollars this season. Depending on the new CBA, that could be too pricy for the team to handle long-term. However, players that can score the ball with ease don’t fall off of trees. It’s not a guarantee that Williams can develop into the best scorer on a team. Luckily for the T’Wolves, they don’t have to rush to a decision. Use this season as a test run. Williams will more than likely back up both Beasley and Kevin Love. He doesn’t need to be rushed into big minutes. Beasley will get the lion’s share of minutes at the three. If he continues to improve, averaging around 25 points a game in the future isn’t unrealistic.
Beasley can also be used as trade bait. If he can get his averages up to a 21-7, he will be a hot commodity at the deadline. Those numbers aren’t a stretch. He averaged 19.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game last year. Adding two points and two rebounds can be done. If Beasley can get to those numbers, he should be able to fetch a package based on young talent and high draft picks.
This is Beasley’s make or break season in Minnesota. If Derrick Williams shows some consistent flashes of greatness, Beasley won’t be brought back. However, if Beasley takes over as the dominant scorer and helps improve the team, he can’t be taken for granted. The ball is in the T’Wolves court. They have an extremely young player with all the talent in the world. If they let him go, there’s a chance he becomes a superstar on some other team. The front office may feel different, but I feel Beasley needs to be here long term. In the NBA, the chances to get a superstar are few and far between. In Beasley, the potential is there. It’s up to Kahn and company to decide if he’s worth the risk.
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What happen to the old timeberwolves’ rant sports writer? I liked him he seemed to be a true fan. This article just seemed more like a run of the mill thought about beasy. He can play D if he is motivated but when your team looks like you are throwing away games in the fourth quarter every night you tell me who would play defense? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFSYHonZo_M this was earlier in the season….. what a lazy player…? He will do fine. As for you good luck as the lead timberwolves writer. I will read but I like when I can relate with the writer when he writes more as a fan.
I’ve written here for the last month or so. I can’t answer your question on the old writer or his whereabouts, but I appreciate your feedback. I will admit, I’m not a diehard fan of the Timberwolves. The ambition comment was based off the general feeling on his defense around the league. One play of yellling at a teammate to play D doesn’t make him a good defender. I think Beasley can develop into a superstar. He just needs to bring all his talent to the table 100 percent of the time.
one play of him yelling does not make him a good defender but it shows heart. A player with his ability can do just about anything when motivated. that is why he was a former #2. Still waiting to see why darko was a former #2 pick…
I agree with your point on Beasley. Darko was picked in the middle of the Euro craze, where all the scouts fawned over the foreign players. College basketball wasn’t as strong from 02-05 as it has been lately, outside of UNC. High school players also watered it down. Scouts saw Darko as a guy who was 7 foot, could handle the ball, and had a decent shot. They failed to recognize the jump it takes to ball NBA ball. Landing with Larry Brown didn’t help matters, and it ruined his confidence. Darko lost a lot of chances at reps early in his career.
I dont think he will ever be an All-Star, and he will go down as a huge mistake. But he can be a very solid role player. You can’t teach size. Darko is probably going to average 8 and 7, somewhere in that range. He was the combination of over-hype, too much too soon, and destroyed confidence.