NBA Draft: Michael Beasley vs. Pat Riley
Michael Beasley (photo. Matt Brown)When we got up with Michael Beasley during yesterday’s NBA Draft Media Day, the rumors about him slipping past the Heat at No. 2, or even being ‘disliked’ by Pat Riley sounded like total BS.
As Beasley said to the media yesterday, “I hear [the rumors]. But I don’t listen to ‘em. In one ear, out the other. It’s sorta like when your mom talk to you when you’re 11.”
But could there be something worth listening to? Is Pat Riley serious about passing over the guy Jeff Van Gundy called a “Hall of Fame player and NBA All Star from day one” if Derrick Rose goes to the Bulls? Those rumors have gained a head of steam. The Heat supposedly started shopping their pick when they received news that Shawn Marion would return to the team.
It’s a legit possibility that Riley doesn’t like Beasley’s personality - or that he’s too humorless to understand him. Beasley fielded about 100 questions from repetitive reporters yesterday about his ‘immaturity’ and his ‘character issues.’ But, as David Hyde of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel writes, the big character issues with Beasley are that he’s a character.
Case in point:
Reporter: What’s the one thing that you took away from being down in Miami working out? Any lessons?
Beasley: It rained a lot. They said Miami 85 degrees, amazing. So I brought shorts and flip flops. And my socks got wet when it rained. I think anybody would like to be in the warm weather. It’s warm. I like the beach. I like to swim.
He’s not a bad dude. He’s just a kid.
“I’m a kid,” Beasley said to us yesterday. “I don’t want to grow up too fast. I want to live my life. People might think I’m immature. I don’t act like people want me to act – I’m not 30.”
That’s one possibility. The other one is that Riley has everyone exactly where he wants them, thinking that he doesn’t want Beasley. Maybe that’ll help him move Marion for a different piece (sign-and-trade for Elton Brand?) Or maybe it will help ensure that the Bulls go with Rose so that he can get B-Easy.
When a reporter asked Beasley whether he’d considered going somewhere other than Chicago or Miami, he said, “Nah, not too much.”
June 26th, 2008 at 10:36 am
hahns says:
whatever riley is doing, bottom line is that they’ll be foolish not to take beasley.
June 26th, 2008 at 10:39 am
Blue says:
if riley passes up on beasley, that will piss me off royally. a sign and trade for elton brand would be very nice. i understand that the heat needs a PG & Center, but c’mon…seriously riles!!! don’t do this to me!!!
June 26th, 2008 at 10:41 am
fiyaman says:
i sure hope he picks Beasley at least the gives the Knicks a slight (if any) chance of getting Mayo
June 26th, 2008 at 10:43 am
yallallreadyknow says:
slick aint no fool. but he dont know where to play mikey beasley.
at 6′8 220lbs, he aint no small forward, but not strong enough to play pf. slick already got an undersized pr in shawn marion. if you play them both together, the heat will get hammered up front….thats what riley is thinking about. he has no shaq and possibly no mourning, so he’s worried about his frontline.
he wanna see if he can get two players for beasley; thats all.
slick likes centers. he wants a center, but there aint no quality bigs in this draft nor on the FA market. remember last season he was seriously thinking about making a trade for ny’s eddy curry?
aint nothing against mike beasley. and beasley is going toget drafted no lower than #2 anyway. so he shouldn’t care one way or the other.
June 26th, 2008 at 10:46 am
yallallreadyknow says:
austin,
aint you from seattle?
who are the sonics gonna draft?
June 26th, 2008 at 10:51 am
fiyaman says:
I ‘d trade him Curry and the #6 pick for the #2 pick
June 26th, 2008 at 10:56 am
Myrie says:
Attn Dime Crew and Readers:
I remember a few months ago for the NFL draft, the #1 pick (Long) signed a contract 2 days before the draft.
What do you all think of any such thing taking place in the NBA draft? Where a team selecting #1 (or in the top 3) can sign the player they want BEFORE the actual draft?
I don’t think I am a fan of this (not eve sure why though), but since Dime has compared the NBA to MLB today, why not compare the NFL draft to the NBA draft just for the hell out of it….
Thoughts?….
June 26th, 2008 at 10:56 am
Austin Burton says:
At the #4 spot I would HOPE they take a guard from the Bayless/O.J. group (maybe Westbrook, although I’m not his biggest fan), but I’m kind of terrified they’re gonna go with a Lopez.
With the #24 pick they should go big; I’d be thrilled if Darrell Arthur dropped that far, or maybe a Jason Thompson.
I’d take the gamble and grab Serge Ibaka in the 2nd round.
June 26th, 2008 at 11:00 am
Celts Fan, "Kobe, Tell me how my @$$ tastes" says:
This article’s EXACTLY what I’ve been saying since Day 1. Other than his greezy-@$$ hair, Riles has common sense and is a smart guy. He’s not passing on Beasley, he’s trying to drum up the best possible trade (Brand, the #7 - only assuming Bayless makes it that far - and another piece/pick for the #2 and Marion would probably work) and if there isn’t one that’s worthwhile, he’ll take Beasley. Guaranteed
June 26th, 2008 at 11:14 am
Celts Fan, "Kobe, Tell me how my @$$ tastes" says:
*BUT, I still think (assuming Marion keeps his ego enough in check that it doesn’t ruin the team) that Marion, Wade, and Beasley is a hell of a lineup to throw out there. Don’t overthink it…
June 26th, 2008 at 11:19 am
Blue says:
Celts Fan…
I totally agree with your last comment. As crazy as it might sound, with a decent center added to those three, you can just run Chris Quinn at the 1. He’s not gonna be spectacular, but he doesn’t turn the ball over and he can hit the three. how much more do you need when you have the other 3?
June 26th, 2008 at 11:19 am
Michorizo says:
I’m 30 and my wife thinks I am immature … she drafted me and now she is stuck with me. I was immature when she met me and I am still immature now … I don’t know where the fuck I was headed with this comment…
June 26th, 2008 at 11:23 am
Kobeef says:
I think it is BS and Riles is trying to make sure Chi-town takes Rose. That said if Riles could get Brand for B’easy he’d do that in a second.
June 26th, 2008 at 11:27 am
Jim says:
Myrie-The NBA’s CBA dictates the salaries for rooks based on their draft order, so there are no negotiations. When Yi said he would turn down some teams he just meant he wouldn’t show up. That’s why you don’t see kids sitting out camp and stuff like in the NFL.
In the NFL the CBA really really favors big stars and rookies, and there is no set amount, so that’s why you see teams negotiating ahead of time and it’s assumed to be a big part of people’s decisions. For example, Houston was pretty open about taking Mario Williams ahead of Bush and my man Vince because Williams would sign for a lot less. And also it turns out he’s a lot better NFL player than they are.
June 26th, 2008 at 11:29 am
DaPro says:
Riles wants B’easy, no question. I’m sure he is questioning his maturity, especially after the Shaq trade but he is them most offensively ready player to come along in a while
Piece together a good shooter, (Mike Miller) and a decent big and you have solid starting 5
June 26th, 2008 at 11:30 am
hahns says:
hahahah michorizo..nice.
looks like beasley has a ton of personality. why is that bad thing? riles has GOT to loosen up. a talented rookie like that has got to be a pretty relaxing locker room presence. you already have wade as your best player, and you have marion who is a headcase. be easy may ease tensions
June 26th, 2008 at 11:46 am
ERIC says:
This is all ridiculous. I hate Riley for several reasons (leaving the Knicks, undercutting SVG coaching), but scouting talent and motivating players has always been his specialty.
Beasely is just a quirky kid, like Gilbert Arenas. He’s not a bad kid. OJ Mayo has more baggage.
June 26th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
shake&bake says:
The draft changed from Rose vs. Beasley at #1 to Beasley vs. Mayo/Bayless at #2
June 26th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
doc says:
Pat Riley is a grumpy old man.Somebody needs to slap the shit out of him if he dont pick Beastly.
June 26th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
nick says:
no way bayless goes 2. mayo is the only other player outside beasley and rose that would have a shot at being the 2nd player taken.
riley is an idiot if he passes on beasley. just too talented to pass up.
June 26th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
eyeused2b says:
“I’m a kid,” Beasley said to us yesterday. “I don’t want to grow up too fast. I want to live my life. People might think I’m immature. I don’t act like people want me to act – I’m not 30.”
This statement should give people an inside look at Beasley’s true maturity level. So many people squander away years of their lives trying to grow up too fast and trying to please everyone but themselves. The fact that he already realizes that he doesn’t need to act like others want him to act shows that he’s already ahead of the curve.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
DaPro says:
He’s a damn kid simple as that. I wouldn’t hand him the keys to franchise just yet but Riles has a leader in Dwade. B’asy would be a damn good pick for any team especially one with a bonafide superstar in Wade
June 26th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
miamiVIS3 says:
@ Blue
Quinn could be their backup but Marcus Banks will run the point he impressed me in his time last year and I remember he dropped 20 on somebody.
June 26th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Big Sneezy says:
Let me get this straight. The Heat tanked for the year to get a high pick, Riley quit coaching in order to scout for talent smack in the middle of the college season, D-Wade took time off to heal, they traded Shaq for Marion (either a nice complementary player in his own right or a good piece in a big trade), they trot out a team of D-leaguers for half the season just to lose a few extra games, they succeed in getting the #2 pick in a draft with two great prospects… and Riley is somehow dissatisfied?
They should take Beasley. They need someone who can create down low on the offensive end. A “small ball” front court combo of Beasley, Matrix, and Haslem is pretty solid. All of those guys play bigger than their size, get lots of rebounds, play active D, and do all the things that power forwards do, just minus an inch or two. If Zo returns, the size problem on the defensive end is solved.
June 26th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Lee says:
Why aren’t Chicago taking Beasley ?? Everyone had him as a lock for the # 1 spot saying Paxon shouldn’t draft Rose because he’s from Chi.
July 1st, 2008 at 3:48 am
Isiah Thomas says:
I’d trade him Eddy Curry and David Lee for a bag of peanuts