Just in case they actually trade Carmelo Anthony after months of starts and stops, the Knicks have already found a high-volume, isolation-heavy, one-dimensional scoring forward to replace him:
Michael Beasley.
Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders:
New York Knicks and former No. 2 overall pick Michael Beasley are nearing agreement on a one-year deal, a league source told @BBallInsiders.
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) August 8, 2017
New York is down to minimum-salary offers, and that’s probably all Beasley can command at this point, anyway.
The 28-year-old is a curious fit on a team supposedly focused on developing young players. Maybe this is a sign that new/old president Steve Mills’ talk of patience was just lip service, following a long succession of Knicks executives.
But Beasley might just be too good to pass up for the minimum. He was an effective scorer for the Bucks last season, justifying his gunning role and shortcomings elsewhere with above-average efficiency. Beasley got into the paint frequently and finished well, made his mid-range jumpers and even converted his 3-pointers at an impressive clip (though in a small, selected, sample). He could have decent trade value in the likely event the Knicks should be selling before the trade deadline.
The former No. 2 pick has run into trouble throughout his career, and now he’s heading to a huge market to join one of the NBA’s more dysfunctional franchises. There are potential pitfalls here (and plenty of jokes to be made). But there’s a solid chance this works out – which is about all you can ask for a minimum-salary player.
