Michael Beasley's Roller Coaster Career; What's Next?

Michael Beasley has gone from the No. 2 overall pick to being released by the Phoenix Suns. (nba.com)

Michael Beasley was working his way toward being a veteran in the NBA, already with five seasons under his belt and only 24 years old.

Yet in a day that veteran status is in question as the Phoenix Suns, Beasley's third team since being drafted by Miami, released the troubled forward Tuesday. Beasley was recently arrested on a charge of suspicion of marijuana, just another time when the drug has gotten him in trouble with the league.

Even without the drug charge, Beasley is dropping off as a player. Just two seasons removed from the best year of his career, where he averaged 19.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game for Minnesota, last season those numbers dropped down to a career low 10.1 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.

The question now is if a team will give him another chance? It's hard to imagine Beasley without a job in the league after five years, mainly because of the hype around him entering the league. This is also proof of how far he's fallen.

To be far, he hasn't been a Darko Milicic-type bust. Other former No. 2 overall picks have fallen harder and faster. Beasley has still put up very respectable numbers, so it's hard to call a player like him a bust.

But remember back to 2008 when Beasley was drafted. He was a national phenom at Kansas State and was expected to be an all-star in the NBA. Just look at the list of players he was drafted ahead of: O.J. Mayo, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love, Brook and Robin Lopez and Roy Hibbert are a few. It was Beasley and Derrick Rose at the top, and the conversation was who would have a better career.

The biggest disappointment with Beasley is his poor play and inability to stay with a team seems to be more a fault of his, both with the drug use and attitude, than outside factors. He hasn't suffered any major career-setback injuries that have taken out other top picks. He didn't have trouble adjusting to the game like a European transfer such as Milicic.

In fact, Beasley proved he could be a successful scorer in the league. His first three years were a steady rise into what looked to be a very good career. But Beasley hasn't been able to stay out of his own way, and his drop off in production from the 2010-11 season to last season makes it more difficult for teams to put up with the marijuana charges.

Beasley has had plenty of ups and downs already in his young NBA career. It's now time to see where the Michael Beasley roller coaster takes him next.

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Friday Roundtable: All-Time Favorite NBA Jersey

What is your favorite NBA jersey of all time? (allball.blogs.nba.com)

BDD's Friday Roundtable is a weekly discussion among a group of our writers on a trending NBA or college basketball topic.

This week's question: What is your all-time favorite NBA jersey?

Alex: 
Retro is in, sure, but there are also legitimately classic jerseys when digging into NBA backlogs, be it because of simplicity or the way a logo melds with certain fonts and team colors. For my money, the most visually appealing -- and thus my favorite -- jersey in Association history is the Denver Nuggets kit that ran from the mid-1980s through the 1992-93 season. The franchise's logo from that time (a smart, technicolor imagining of the Denver skyline layered over the blank canvas of the Rocky Mountains at dusk or dawn) is a gem of geometry inside an over-arching half-moon shape.

Fat Lever, straight gettin' it in classic Nuggets gear. (bleacherreport.com)

Translated into jerseys, the colors are unencumbered by the half-moon and extend well beyond the caricature of the Rockies, wrapping around to the back number. The front features a number on the left shoulder and the team name emblazoned underneath the image with blue trim lining the arm holes and neckline. Matching shorts? Check. The colors pop and, to some, may be too much, too pop art. Essentially, though, that was what late '80s and early '90s fashion was about. I'll be damned if I didn't rock some of the flashiest Mickey Mouse and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles designs as a child. The heart wants what the heart wants, and mine is wrapped in these Nuggets duds.

Kyle:
I've probably put way more thought into this question than needed, but it's a difficult one to answer. I grew up in a city that didn't have an NBA team, so I don't have a hometown automatic go-to. So many came to mind. Some I thought of because they are iconic. The Celtics jerseys from the '80s are as simple as it gets, and something about that makes them timeless and great, and like the Lakers uniforms from that time, it was a look everyone could instantly recognize. Some resonate with me because they remind me of growing up. The pinstriped Orlando jerseys. The '90s Bulls jerseys. The black-to-red Hawks jersey with the Hawk clutching the basketball in its talons. I've always loved the Celtics jerseys, and as far as current jerseys go, Golden State does it probably better than anyone.

I'm going to go old school for my choices. First off, the 1970s New York Nets jerseys, and more specifically, as shown below, Dr. J's Nets jersey. With this jersey, you're not just showing your love for the Nets, you're showing your love for America. It's a simple white jersey with red text, and then the red and blue lines down the side with the three white stars just take it to another level.

bleacherreport.com

I have also always really liked the 1990s Seattle Supersonics jerseys when they switched to the darker green and incorporated red. The '90s were an interesting time in uniform design. Teams were blowing up their mascot on the front of the jerseys, and it seemed like everyone was on board with pinstripes. Just so many pinstripes. Those jerseys all look outdated in 2013. The Sonics used colors other than the typical white, bright red and shades of blue of other teams. And the slanted, orbiting Sonics name with the basketball on the "i" just worked. The NBA may have taken your team, Seattle, but they can never take those jerseys. 

thesteelersnat.blogspot.com

Zach:

Above is a picture of myself, senior year of high school (2008) in an Amar'e Stoudemire jersey. I think, maybe, that's my Micheal Jackson impression or something but that's beside the point. The jersey is a retro-throwback, 1968, and was worn by the Phoenix Suns during Stoudemire's rookie season.  That's why the jersey is 32 and not 1; he hadn't changed his number at that point. This is the coolest jersey I own and have ever worn. It is not, however, my favorite uniform of all time.   

The release of the new Phoenix Suns jerseys sparked the idea for this week's roundtable, I think. I'll come right out and say that I'm not a fan of the new look. My favorite jersey is, however, one out of Phoenix. The black road alternates worn from 1994-2000 are the coolest jerseys the NBA has ever seen. Here is a picture of Micheal Beasley doin' it to somebody in the coolest threads possible.

Photo: USA Today

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Friday Roundtable: Best NBA Coaching Hire Thus Far

Mike Malone is heading from Golden State to another California team as the new head coach of the Sacramento Kings. (nba.si.com)

BDD's Friday Roundtable is a weekly discussion among a group of our writers on a trending NBA or college basketball topic.

This week's question: Phoenix, Charlotte, Sacramento and Atlanta all hired new head coaches for next season. Which hire will turn out to be the best for the team?

Alex:
I love Hornacek-to-Phoenix, but the Sacramento Kings have quietly made a coaching carousel coup by hiring Mike Malone. The former Golden State assistant is fresh off a strong run into the playoffs with a Warriors team featuring young principle players, much like the current Kings squad. Malone made a connection with turn-GSW guard Monta Ellis and Sacramento brass must be hopeful their new head coach can form the same kind of rapport with mercurial big man DeMarcus Cousins, while fostering a positive growth in the Kings' young backcourt.

Recent Kings coaches have not enjoyed long tenures or peaceful locker rooms. Enter Malone, who was recently part of turning another underachieving franchise in Northern California. Young, first-time head coaches always have a buzz around them, for better or worse, and pique the interest of the basketball community, free agents included. Malone's hiring makes Sacramento a slightly more appealing destination for players on the open market. Ellis is interested in re-connecting and, although bringing him in would conflict with Isaiah Thomas' development, it is a start for a suffering organization. With the Kings officially staying in SacTown, the pressure is on Malone to help steer the franchise in a winning direction. Some of the pieces are there, some still need to be acquired, but the biggest necessity has been fulfilled: getting a coach who has come out on top when encountering a situation like the one facing the Kings. Malone is that coach.

Kyle:
Right off the bat, I think you can remove Steve Clifford's name from contention. Not that I think he's a bad coach or will do a poor job, but he's walking into a nightmare in Charlotte with a team that has gone 28-120 the past two years. Clifford doesn't have much experience and even the league's best coaches would need a lot of time, patience and Tylenol to fix that program.

I actually like all three of the other hires, and since all three are first-time head coaches, it's difficult to predict which ones will adapt to the new leadership role the quickest and easiest.  I agree with Alex that both Jeff Hornacek and Mike Malone are strong fits with the Suns and Kings, but I also think Mike Budenholzer can be the type of coach the Atlanta Hawks need. Budenholzer does not have the name power of Hornacek, but he did spent the past 17 years with Gregg Popovich in San Antonio, and if there is a current coach in the league to study and learn from for 17 years, it's Popovich. More importantly, Budenholzer was not just present for the Spurs' championship years. He was on the sideline to experience that 20-62 team in 1996-97 and watch how it transformed into a frequent NBA Finals contender.

It depends on free agency, but most likely Budenholzer will have a more experienced squad than Hornacek and Malone, and definitely one that has seem more success than the Suns and Kings. But still Atlanta is looking to take that next step from just making the playoffs to winning and advancing, and Budenholzer may be the guy to do it.

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Friday Roundtable: Andrew Wiggins and Tanking NBA Seasons

Andrew Wiggins is a Canadian kid. Will the Raptors make a move to draft him? (blog.vstrator.com)

BDD's Friday Roundtable is a weekly discussion among a group of our writers on a trending NBA or college basketball topic.

This week's question: Andrew Wiggins committed to the University of Kansas for a pit-stop before going pro. Which NBA team is most likely to pull the biggest tank job to draft the likely one-and-done talent?

Alex:
Orlando, seemingly, has already taken steps toward this after Dwight Howard forced his way to Los Angeles and the Magic jettisoned J.J. Redick to the Milwaukee Bucks for what looked like spare parts to some. Even so, Nikola Vucevic and Tobias Harris (in his partial season there) came on strong for Orlando while the team as a whole sank to last place in the entire NBA. Having that front court duo together for an entire season, however, will likely keep the Magic from repeating in that respect.

The team making the biggest (read: worst) play for Andrew Wiggins will be the Cleveland Cavaliers. Forget waiting for LeBron James and his potential homecoming in 2014. He's already established himself as one of the greatest basketball players of all time and has yet to hit 30 years of age, but pairing him with Kyrie Irving would marginalize the young point guard's ball handling wizardry and ability to control the pace of games with James needing to be the primary ball-handler to maximize his talents.

Would that be worth it? With the right role players, absolutely, but the Cavs don't have those kind of ancillary components right now. They have Irving, Tristan Thompson, an underwhelming-as-a-rookie Dion Waiters and Anderson Varejao, who hasn't played since December after an injury derailed his fantastic start to the season. Aside from those players, the Cavs roster looks like a scrap heap of journeymen, outcasts and Did Not Play - Coach's Decision All-Stars.

Cleveland was only four losses away from tying Orlando for the league's worst record in 2012-13. Without All-NBA numbers from Varejao in a few early outings or a couple out-of-his-gourd games by Irving, those four wins could have easily gone the other way. If we presume Irving will be better all-around from one more year of experience and Varejao will perform at a slower rate or finally be dealt for pennies on the dollar, the Cavaliers' schedule should look awfully familiar come the end of next season. The only contracts the Cavs have on the books for 2014-15 are those of Varejao (pending trade) and Alonzo Gee, with team options for Irving, Thompson, Waiters and Tyler Zeller. (Those first two are essentially automatic, the third is probable and the fourth, not so much. Sorry, Tyler.)

It isn't a stretch for Cleveland to head into that season with a core including one of the league's top point guards and Wiggins with at least two young role players in tow with Thompson and Waiters. But spurning LBJ in order to form a young team with unknown upside a la the Oklahoma City Thunder? That would be a tank job, especially if it the lottery didn't work in the Cavs' favor.

Kyle:
It seems like it was a lot longer ago than just the 2009-10 season that the Phoenix Suns propelled to a 54-28 record with Steve Nash at the helm and battled the San Antonio Spurs in those gritty playoff matchups where the two teams met three times in four years.

Those better days seem distant because since then the Suns have failed to finish above .500 and no longer have their beloved star in Nash. The Suns were last in the Western Conference with a 25-57 record and seem like a favorable pick to be in a similar position next season with New Orleans and Sacramento having young talent still adjusting to the league.

Phoenix desperately needs help at the shooting guard or small forward positions, especially looking toward the future. The Suns' two shooting guards right now are Jared Dudley (10.9 points per game) and P.J. Tucker (6.4 ppg) and those two will be 29 years old when Wiggins will likely be entering the draft next season. The Suns are slightly better off at the SF position, but Michael Beasley has had multiple off-the-field issues during his time in the NBA and only averaged 10.1 ppg this season. Beasley will also be entering the final year of his contract when Wiggins is drafted. Wesley Johnson is Beasley's backup and averaged eight ppg but only played about 20 minutes a game last season and hasn't asserted himself as a starter.

Not only does Phoenix have the need at Wiggins' positions and the situation that would likely place them in contention for the possible No. 1 draft pick, but Wiggins would also have a talented point guard in Goran Dragic to facilitate the offense. Dragic managed 7.4 assists per game for a team that was No. 21 in scoring, yet is still an scoring threat at 14.7 ppg this year. Imagine the two-man offensive schemes the Suns could develop with Dragic and a versatile, athletic swing man like Wiggins.

The Suns need a star to bring the team back to relevance and what's one more season of poor play for the prospect of Wiggins' potential? Phoenix needs the type of player and style of play Wiggins can offer because that 2009-10 season will only seem longer and longer ago.

Shawn:

My initial, knee-jerk reaction was to say that the Charlotte Bobcats would be the team to throw their season away and do whatever it took to be at the top with a chance to take Andrew Wiggins with the first overall pick. However, that would imply that the Bobcats knew how to do something other than lose, and that simply isn’t the case. My second thought was it could possibly be the Mavericks, given owner Mark Cuban’s tendency to do things out of the norm and his burning desire to be in the headlines. But again, while I still think it’s possible, I moved away from that notion. The team I have finally settled on that is most likely to throw its season in order to obtain the player with the most hype before ever setting foot on an NBA floor since LeBron James may come as something of a surprise.

I think the Boston Celtics are the most likely team to throw their season to have a chance to pick Andrew Wiggins.

Yes, I know, it’s blasphemous for me to insinuate that such a storied and respected franchise not only in basketball, but in all of sports, would dare sink to throwing games simply to have a chance at taking one player. However, this is not just any player, and the Celtics have an out that could provide them with a shield from scrutiny and accusations from media about taking a dive on their season.

Under the guise of rebuilding, the Celtics could potentially move all their aging players in order to acquire picks and expiring contracts to give them a chance to build a team around Wiggins, as well as lose the amount of games necessary to have a pick high enough to draft him. Players like Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett could still be attractive pieces for contending teams looking for that one last element that will push them into title contention. The team has already been rumored and reported several times in the last couple of years to have been actively trying to trade the one building bock it has in point guard Rajon Rondo.

While fans would be frustrated about losing, the idea of rebuilding has already been placed in their heads as a necessity after the early exit from the playoffs this season, which was largely blamed on the declining play of aging superstars Pierce and Garnett, and the loss of Rondo to injury. The fans know they need a new centerpiece for their team, and this opens the door for the Celtics to move expensive, aging players, and put themselves in a position to lose consistently in the effort to acquire Wiggins.

Fred: 
The Sacramento Kings were founded in 1945 but have only won a single title. That was way back in 1951 as the Rochester Royals.

The Maloof brothers have been destroying the franchise and turning away fans, it's time to give Sacramento something to cheer about. What better way to make your fans happy than by drafting the soon to be college phenomenon Andrew Wiggins?

Tanking is a tricky situation for the new management. It is in their best long term interest to be as bad as possible next year as they have the opportunity to build around a player from the loaded 2014 draft. However, they must show the city of Sacramento that things are truly changing and that they are ready to make the best basketball team possible.

The Kings have a few valuable trade pieces despite winning only 28 games in the 2013 season. The new management should look to clear house and get rid of every trace of the Maloofs while stockpiling young players and draft picks. This will allow them to show their fans that they're ready to shake things up while giving them the best chance possible to land Wiggins.

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Evolution of the Slovenian Lefty Goran Dragic

Goran Dragic finds his way past the Spurs' DeJuan Blair. (D. Clarke Evans)

"Goran Dragic is becoming a hero in Phoenix right now," Dan Shulman said as ESPN coverage went to a commercial. The Phoenix Suns were leading the San Antonio Spurs by 11 with 5:45 remaining to play. It was Game Three of the 2010 Western Conference Semifinals. Phoenix needed all 26 points from its 24-year-old Slovenian back-up point guard. He had everything going, sending Spurs fans home early with 23 fourth-quarter points. A roster patched with a former MVP, Sixth Man of the Year, a superstar and a new coach, the Suns were dismantling the Spurs. When asked about Dragic's performance, Suns General Manager Steve Kerr stated: "I have seen that before, but it was done by the greatest player of all-time in Michael Jordan."

On this night, Shulman was correct. Dragic was a hero.  

Entering the NBA draft after winning the Slovanian Basketball Championship with Olimpija Ljubljana in the 2007-2008 season, Dragic was selected 45th overall by the Suns. Struggling like other Europeans transitioning into the league, he played timid, scared and could be seen peering toward the bench after committing mistakes. Time learning behind Steve Nash and confidence instilled by new coach Alvin Gentry evolved Dragic into what the franchise envisioned. He came closer by following the footsteps of Nash, the player he had admired long before. Suns fans were able to bask in the moment as, finally, they had slayed the Spurs.

Dragic was the hero Phoenix wasn't ready for and the one they didn't need. Nash had two years remaining to lead the Suns and with the trade deadline expiring in 2011, Phoenix traded Dragic to Houston and the Rockets sent Aaron Brooks in return.

In the 48 games he played behind Nash before departing in 2010-11, Dragic averaged 7.4 points, 3.1 assists and 1.8 rebounds in 17.6 minutes per game. He seemed to be struggling again, shooting just 27 percent from 3-point range and turning over the ball twice each game. In a second unit, which struggled offensively, Phoenix needed the firepower Brooks could provide. In 82 games the previous season, Brooks — a short, spunky, sharpshooting PG from Seattle — averaged 19.6 points and 5.3 assists. He also thrived in transition and hit from three on the way to winning the Most Improved Player Award.

With the news of being traded, Dragic described himself as "shocked."  Phoenix's front office and fans bid farewell to a player who helped them triumph and overcome years of frustrating playoff defeats at the Spurs' hands.

Dragic with the Rockets. (Christian Peterson/Getty Images)

Things were different for Dragic in Houston the following season. He wasn't expected to fill the shoes of a once back-to-back MVP like Nash. He started 28 of 66 games after an injury sidelined Kyle Lowry. Rockets coach Kevin McHale trusted Dragic. He was the point guard of the future for a promising team.  

Dragic's 2011-2012 season averages showed an obvious growth compared to his final 48 games with the Suns. Playing 26.5 mpg yielded averages of 11.7 ppg, 5.3 apg and 2.5 rpg. He also recorded 85 steals during the season.

It was no question: Dragic improved his game.

Just one season removed from letting him go, the Suns made a move to bring their hero back. Phoenix needed him more than ever.

"There’s an old expression that you've got to be big enough to admit your mistakes, strong enough to profit from them and strong enough to correct them, and bringing Goran back here, if that’s what we’re doing, I’m proud of that,” Suns President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby told press, who both welcomed Dragic back to Phoenix prior to the current 2012-2013 season. Dragic would decide to wear number 1, and not 2, as he did before.

Fast forward to now. Dragic brings stability to a franchise in disarray. The Suns are at the bottom of the Western Conference. Some call it rebuilding, others consider it tanking. Phoenix's roster relies on scoring from Micheal Beasley, Wes Johnson, Luis Scola and Marcin Gortat. Dragic has started all 57 games for the Suns this season.

Barry Gossage: Getty Images

Here is Dragic's season thus far, compared to averages listed above.

• 33mpg / 26.5 / 17.6
• 14.1ppg / 11.7 / 7.4
• 6.9ast / 5.3 / 3.1
• 2.9reb / 2.5 / 1.8

Additionally, he has already totaled 84 steals this season.

Last night, Dragic scored 13 points and assisted 13 buckets in a 105-101 overtime win against the San Antonio Spurs, the same team he helped vanquish in the 2010 WCF, and arguably the league's best team in 2012-13.

Perhaps Dragic summed it up best in his re-introductory press conference: “I’m a new guy now. I’m a different player, different person than when I was here. I want to have a fresh start here.”


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Winners and Losers of the 2013 NBA Trade Season

J.J. Redick was among the NBA players traded before the Thursday deadline (cbssports.com)

The clock for trading players in the NBA expired Thursday at 3 p.m. EST and, to be honest, the trades made didn't live up to the hype built up in the weeks before the deadline. Sure, several players changed teams, but no major names will be showing up on new rosters or appear on upcoming tickets in different uniforms. Josh Smith, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce all stayed put. For the sake of completeness, however, let's figure out who won and lost the trade season.

The Orlando Magic had a busy final day of the trade deadline, trading away four players in two deals.

The major player in the mix for the Magic — and the most valuable player moved by any team before the deadline — was shooting guard J.J. Redick, who is now a member of the Milwaukee Bucks. Redick was part of a six-player trade which also included the Magic sending Gustavo Ayon and Ish Smith for Doron Lamb, Beno Udrih and Tobias Harris.

In a separate deal, Orlando parted with another former Duke player Josh McRoberts for Hakim Warrick from the Charlotte Bobcats.

The Bucks acquire Redick during his most successful season in the NBA. The sharpshooter is averaging 15.1 ppg, nearly six points more than his career averages of 9.2. Redick is also improving in field goal percentage, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals (although the difference in the final two stats is slim).

It seems like Redick, in his sixth season in the NBA, has come into his role on an NBA team and has learned how to be successful moving from a star at Duke to a supporting character in the NBA.

The Bucks seem to have won this trade due to the fact that Redick is having the best year of his career. Brandon Jennings is already the premier scorer, so Redick can resume the role of 3-point threat and give the Bucks some needed offensive firepower. Doron Lamb is the youngest and possibly has the most upside of of any player the Magic got in return, but he is mostly unproven, averaging just 3.4 ppg. However, this was a smart time for the Magic to trade Redick if it was going to happen because his stock was looking to climb by the season's end.

We already touched on one angle of the Houston Rockets/Phoenix Suns trade, which reunites Marcus and Markieff Morris in the Suns' logjam of a frontcourt. If played at the same time, the twins' chemistry could give Phoenix a small spark. They aren't going to be beating top teams at the end of this season, but they are developing players again with rookie and social media star Kendall Marshall getting minutes as the second-string point guard, prompting a swap of Sebastian Telfair to the Toronto Raptors for center Hamed Haddadi and a protected second-round pick.

Haddadi is on his third team of the season, having been moved in the same deal that sent Rudy Gay to Toronto, but is unlikely to get minutes playing behind Marcin Gortat and Jermaine O'Neal in the desert. That deal overshadows another deal the Grizzlies made: sending Marreese Speights, Wayne Ellington, Josh Selby and a conditional first-round pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Jon Leuer. The most notable portion of this trade — other than Memphis going under the luxury tax — is the pick, as it was the only future first-rounder traded this season. Under the new CBA, first-round picks are more valuable than ever. This is the sixth first-round pick the Cavs had obtained via trade since 2010 and will continue to help Cleveland solidify a young core around Kyrie Irving.

Easily the busiest team over the course of the trade season, the Grizzlies also received Dexter Pittman, a 2013 second-round pick and cash considerations from the Miami Heat in exchange for the rights to Ricky Sanchez, a forward selected in the second round of the 2005 draft by the Portland Trail Blazers who is currently playing in Argentina.

The Blazers may have missed out on Sanchez, but shortly before yesterday's deadline they welcomed Eric Maynor into their guard rotation. Maynor had played decreased minutes with the Oklahoma City Thunder after injuring his knee last season and becoming the third point guard option after returning. The Blazers get a much needed reliable, if rusty back-up for rookie stalwart Damian Lillard while OKC shaved approximately $1 million in salary by receiving cash and the rights to 27-year-old Greek forward Georgios Printezis.

The most forward getting the most attention because of a trade, though, is Thomas Robinson. Drafted as the No. 5 overall pick less than a year ago by the flailing Sacramento Kings, Robinson was dealt to the Rockets along with frontcourt brethren Francisco Garcia and Tyler Honeycutt for fellow Kansas Jayhawk Cole Aldrich, Toney Douglas and Patrick Patterson. While Patterson is putting up better per-game numbers than Robinson this season, Robinson has been mired in a crowded rotation of big men and played 410 fewer minutes than Patterson. Comparing the per-36 minutes numbers, though, reveals that while Robinson is averaging 1.7 turnovers and 1.5 personal fouls more than Patterson, the rookie is putting up better defensive stats than his replacement with 4.1 rebounds per 36 and holding the edge in assists, steals and blocks, as well. Patterson is the better player right now. He's also more exciting at the moment, scoring more points per 36 minutes than Robinson, but this trade is another bungled move in a series of them for the Kings. Giving up on a player so early is foolish and the Rockets don't intend to do the same thing, having said they intend to keep Robinson (and, for now, they have by refusing to flip him immediately after acquiring his contract). Robinson is going through typical rookie struggles and should even out next season, if not before.

Of the more ancillary moves, Jordan Crawford landing in Boston will give the Celtics more offensive firepower in the absence of Rajon Rondo, whose back-up, Leandro Barbosa, also tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and was traded in return to the Washington Wizards along with Jason Collins. With Barbosa and Collins entering free agency this summer and only one-third of their current contracts left, the Wizards save a bit of money (Crawford's contract goes through 2013-14 with a $1 million pay raise next season) and can continue restructuring around John Wall without Crawford living in bench limbo.

Other trades included the New York Knicks sending Ronnie Brewer to the Thunder for a 2014 second-round pick and cash, and the Atlanta Hawks receiving Dahntay Jones (for Anthony Morrow) and Jeremy Tyler (for cash and future draft considerations) in separate trades with the Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors, respectively. The Warriors were involved in a second trade, taking in a protected second-round pick from the Philadelphia 76ers as Charles Jenkins and a bit of cash goes to the City of Brotherly Love.

Who wins and who loses, then? Here's a quick recap, with the lessons, as always, being that most trades have more to do with pocketbooks than with play on the court and the Maloofs hate Sacramento:

Winners: Bucks, Celtics, Rockets, Thunder, Trail Blazers, Wizards
Losers: Kings (and their fans)
Line-Steppers: Everyone else


*Kyle Davis contributed to this article due to conflict of interest.

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Morris Twins Reunited In Phoenix; Kings, Rockets Also Make Deal

After playing on different teams for the first time in their careers, Marcus and Markieff Morris are again teammates in Phoenix. (sbnation.com)

NBA Draft day two years ago was a difficult one for Marcus and Markieff Morris.

This is not because their stock dropped them further than expected, they went back-to-back with the No. 13 and 14 picks, but because for the first time in their lives, they would not be playing basketball on the same team. Throughout high school in Philadelphia and college at the University of Kansas, the Morris twins have always been teammates.

Part of me thought a team should find a way to draft and trade for both players, keeping them together. It just didn't feel right to separate the two brothers who had never had to play on different teams. The twins played so well as teammates at KU, the thought was why couldn't that continue in the NBA?

After one-and-a-half seasons apart with Marcus in Houston and Markieff in Phoenix, the twins will be back together as the Rockets traded Marcus to Phoenix for a second-round draft pick this year, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. 

"If I was to be traded, that's where I would want to go," Marcus told the Associated Press in a story published in the Topeka Capital-Journal. "I think Houston knew that. I'm excited. That's all I can say."

Marcus Morris is averaging 8.6 points and 4.1 rebounds this season for the Rockets while starting 17 games. Markieff is averaging similar numbers with 7.3 ppg, and 4.3 rebounds. Those are respectable numbers for second-year players, but the biggest aspect of this trade is the possibilities of what these two could now accomplish together.

At Kansas, the Morris twins dominated the post position as Marcus averaged more than 17 points in his final season as a second-team All-American and Big 12 Player of the Year. While Markieff scored less than his brother, he was the better rebounder of the two and was more efficient from the field, leading the Big 12 in field goal percentage.

The two have played basketball together for more than a decade, and make each other better on the court. Plus, attitude will not be in question, as the twins must be ecstatic to be on the same team once again. If both continue to develop as players, this makes for a great story for the Suns. And with no real "superstar" players on the Suns roster, this is an ideal team for the twins to build stats and minutes and excel.

The twins weren't the only former KU players involved in trades Wednesday. The Sacramento Kings traded rookie Thomas Robinson to Houston for Patrick Patterson, Toney Douglas and fellow Jayhawk Cole Aldrich. The trade deadline is 3 p.m. eastern today.

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My Friend Michael Beasley

Michael Beasley has a fuzzy past, present and future. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

I have a strange connection with Michael Beasley. By no means is it unique because there are plenty of one-way relationships between spectators and athletes that have formed and progressed in the exact same manner. The Phoenix Suns forward gives a little effort and puts up a big performance, then he gets a bit of positive attention from the NBA community at large and quickly re-adapts the humdrum attitude that Beasley has held for most of his professional career.

My introduction to Beasley came in the summer of 2006, when he committed to Kansas State. "Fantastic," I thought, except with more expletives because I was fresh out of high school and had not yet undergone the significant refinements typical of attending junior college. My university of choice was going to be the last amateur stop for one of the best teenage basketball players on the U.S. basketball circuit.

Of course, Beasley didn't disappoint when he donned the purple in 2007-08. He didn't quite lead the Wildcats to a victory over the in-state rival Kansas Jayhawks in Africa, but he could have if the NCAA sanctioned Big 12 conference games to be played on that continent. The Wildcats split the season series with the Jayhawks as each team protected its home court and Beasley totaled 17 rebounds, four blocks, two steals, two assists and 64 points on nearly 50 percent, including hitting 8-11 three balls.

In a historically one-sided rivalry, Beasley remains a major figure. He was a harbinger of things to come, as most of the contests between K-State and KU have been decided by fewer than 10 points since Beasley's departure, making blowouts like Monday night's 83-62 bludgeoning by the Jayhawks sting more for the KSU faithful than when those were expected outcomes.

Beasley's last win in a K-State uniform was in the NCAA tournament over a Southern California team featuring O.J. Mayo. The Wildcats' brightest star dropped 23 points, the same number he recorded two days later when Wisconsin ejected Beasley and Co. from championship contention.

He was expected to spend just a single season in college, even before leading the country with 12.4 rebounds per game and producing 26 regular season double-doubles (plus two in the NCAA tourney), breaking the NCAA freshman record held by Drew Gooden, a former Jayhawk. Beasley was more than welcome to quench the thirst for a win in a lopsided rivalry, collect his Big 12 Player of the Year award and declare for the NBA draft, which is precisely what happened.

Memphis guard Derrick Rose was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 draft, taken by the Chicago Bulls and immediately becoming the starting point guard. Publicly, I decried the choice, making argument after argument for Beasley being the proper No. 1 pick, despite the Bulls' crowded front court. Secretly, though, I staged a minor celebration for Rose going to Chicago because this sated a portion of the college rivalry Beasley was leaving behind. Had the Bulls selected Beasley, he would have competed with Gooden for a starting spot as the double-double record lurked in both of their minds, but Rose's draft spot meant he would single-handedly be sending former Kansas guard Kirk Hinrich to the bench.

Beasley at KSU, post-dunk. (Charlie Riedel/AP)

Udonis Haslem was the incumbent power forward in Miami and there were six small forwards — including Shawn Marion — on the team during the course of the 2008-09 season, but Beasley stilled managed to start 19 games. He could be a reserve as a rookie, though, and learn the NBA game from veterans. Beasley still landed on a team with one of the Association's best players in shooting guard Dwyane Wade; the franchise may have traded Shaquille O'Neal the previous season and missed the playoffs, but it was only three years removed from a championship season, beating the Dallas Mavericks 4-2; and, to the surprise of no Kansas State fan, Beasley finished second on the team in scoring, netting 1,123 points (13.9 ppg). Even his WS/48 was respectable (0.081) given his role.

Beasley had issues, though, even that early in his career.

He may or may not have been involved in an incident involving marijuana that saw Mario Chalmers and Darrell Arthur dismissed from the 2008 NBA Rookie Transition Program. Seeing two recent Jayhawks hit a small speed bump before playing in a single NBA game was fair-weather fun for me, but only to the point that Beasley's name was mentioned. To me, there was almost no question about his presence in the room with Chalmers and Arthur. It was a lucky break and perhaps nothing else, until Beasley — possibly at the behest of Heat president Pat Riley — admitted to being party to the marijuana incident, eliciting a $50,000 fine from the NBA. In comparison to the $20,000 fines levied against the other rookies, Beasley's was much heavier. Then again, he had failed to cooperate with initial investigations and he not been ejected from the program.

One more year, one more episode. In August 2009, Beasley checked into a rehabilitation facility in Houston, all but confirming his involvement in the Chalmers/Arthur incident and drawing numerous "Who gets addicted to pot?" quips from my friends with opposing college allegiances. Beasley's stay in rehab came after several concerning tweets and his posting of a photo showing off a new tattoo, which also included multiple plastic baggies in the background.

Beasley's maturity had been in question throughout his rookie year and even dating back to the pre-Kansas State days when Beasley enrolled in six different high schools. At a mere 20 years old, though, Beasley's decision to seek treatment for possible substance and psychological issues was very wise. It was a move that was supposed to put him on the right track, one which would allow him to realize his full potential and flourish in the NBA.

Incidentally, Beasley started 78 games in the 2009-10 season, upping his scoring (14.9 ppg), rebounding, assisting and WS/48 (0.095), but his field goal percentage declined, falling from 47.2 as a rookie to 45 percent, largely because of a sharp decrease in his efficiency behind the three-point line (40.7 in 2008-09, 27.5 in 2009-10).

His play fell off further during the playoffs that season, garnering a negative WS/48. With free agency on the horizon and Wade about to bring LeBron James and Chris Bosh into the loop, there was no room for such an inconsistent and seemingly troubled player. The Heat began shopping Beasley and, shortly after the Heat's free agency coup, the Minnesota Timberwolves acquired the forward for next to nothing (cash and two future second-round picks).

A new start, they said. A chance to come into his own, they said. Playing small forward next to an All-Star like Kevin Love would afford Beasley plenty of room to operate, and he started 73 games, scoring more points than he had in his short career (1,401 at a 19.2 ppg clip) but using 28.3 percent of the Timberwolves' plays when he was on the floor. Beasley's scoring uptick clearly flew in the face of efficient play and earned him a spot on the bench in 2011-12.

Before the season started, Beasley was fined and ticketed by Minnesota police for speeding and possessing marijuana. No one was surprised. Not the Heat, not the Timberwolves and not even the Kansas State fans that were so loyal to Beasley in return for a sole season of excellence. The same sentiments apply for Beasley's altercation with a heckler at a streetball game in late 2011, and the reactions were even less of shock and more of groaning and head shaking.

Before this mess. (MassLive.com)

The highlight of Beasley's season was a 34-point performance at Houston, commanding the court on 10-14 shooting (2-3 from three) and going 12-12 from the free throw line in a 120-108 T-Wolves win. It happened in late January 2012, just over a month after the lockout-shortened season began, and Beasley's name began appearing in trade rumors — some pundits were proposing the Los Angeles Lakers make a play for him — but that Beasley showed up only once more that season, in a road victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.

Two out of 66 games didn't do it for the Timberwolves, as GM David Kahn's plan of making the franchise into a contender became more actualized with the pairing of Love and Spanish point-savant Ricky Rubio. Beasley was allowed to walk in free agency and found a home with the Phoenix Suns, getting an $18 million, three-year deal in spite of his past.

This brings us more or less up to current day. The occasional big game, the sporadic off-court detriment and the all-too-familiar aloofness that accompanies Beasley to every stop he has made in the NBA. On Jan. 25, Beasley was handcuffed by police in Arizona after being pulled over for going 71 in a 45 mph zone, among other infractions. This time, however, he was given leeway and released for cooperating with authorities. Blatant speeding? Not mature. Possessing a loaded handgun and replying with "slow speech and slow responses," as the police report states? Not mature. But cooperating? Mature, and smart.

There has been less hoopla over this incident than anything in Beasley's career. The novelty is gone. Long gone. But five days later, his talent crept back into the frame and reignited the idea that Beasley could one day be a star. He ruined Steve Nash's first return to Phoenix as a Laker by recording 27 points (12-20 FG%), six rebounds and five steals, all of which catapulted the lowly Suns to a 92-86 win over the reeling Los Angeles crew. Since that night in the desert, Beasley has yet to explode again, coming close in a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder and his friend Kevin Durant but without the same fanfare.

These big games are the exceptions to the rule. Beasley is scoring at the lowest per-36 minutes and per-game rates of his career and was made a reserve when the idea of playing him as a starter flamed out after 20 games. His WS/48 is currently -0.047 for the season, meaning he is usually worth more to the Suns on the bench than on the hardwood.

This is the story: the exemplary (his year as a Wildcat, a few NBA games in each season since), the incorrect (mistake after mistake away from basketball) and the inconsistent (every other NBA game in which he plays). The talent is there but the commitment is questionable. His self-given nicknames — B-Easy, Super Cool Beas — are tattooed on his skin, but maybe if he lets them fade, if he doesn't give them any audience, and just focuses on being Michael Beasley, he can be the superstar everyone knows he can be.

Not everyone knows that, I guess. But I do, even if the odds are against such a transformation. Even if, on my hard drive, this file is titled "Super Cool Beas."


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