Michael Beasley Could Be Traded on Draft Day

"ESPN's Chris Sheridan joined 'The Jorge Sedano Show' on 790 The Ticket Wednesday to discuss the NBA. When the topic was about Michael Beasley's future with the Miami Heat, Sheridan said, 'that he believes Bealsey will be traded on draft day.' I agree with Sheridan and think it's obvious Beasley's future is not here in Miami. His game doesn't seem to mesh well with Dwyane Wade and the benching in Game 5 of the Boston series speaks volumes. At this point, getting cap space in a year like this could prove to be a much better option for the Heat."

This, of course, is nothing new. When Miami was ousted from the playoffs last month, there was a lot of chatter that Beasley would likely be traded by the team. It's possible with his inconsistent run so far in the league all the Heat might be able to get back is cap space for Beasley.

Such cap space could help Miami piece together a roster around Dwyane Wade and another superstar, such as Phoneix's Amare Stoudemire, if he signs with the team as a free agent this summer.

Source: Miami Herald

 

"There are two teams that I believe might take on Beasley in what would be a lopsided, cap-clearing trade for the Heat that could be agreed to by June 30, but could not be announced until the new cap is set July 8: Minnesota and New Jersey. Both are going to have loads of cap room, and neither is a particularly attractive destination for free agents. The solution: Acquire players via trade into their cap space. Example A: Miami offers Beasley, Daequan Cook, James Jones, $3 million and a future No. 1 to Minnesota for basically nothing. The Heat thereby clear all their contracts and get their payroll down to zero (besides Wade), and the Wolves get the No. 2 pick of the '08 draft and a future No. 1. Example B: Miami offers the same package to the Nets, who need to restock and won't find many players eager for two years of purgatory in Newark."

"But even if [Heat president Pat] Riley is able to land one extremely heavy hitter in free agency (that list begins with LeBron James and continues with Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire and Carlos Boozer), he isn't going to have enough room to get that second stud if he still has Beasley on the roster making $4.96 million. And sources have told ESPN.com that Miami, fed up with Beasley's lack of devotion to defense and his steep learning curve in the maturity department, tried diligently to move Beasley before the trading deadline in February but found no takers willing to give up anything more than garbage. So if Beasley can be moved before the draft for a player with only a partial guarantee for 2010-11, or if the Heat can arrange an uneven deal (in terms of salaries) and send him to an under-the-cap team in a trade that would be consummated after the league's one-week moratorium on player movement ends July 8, look for Riley to go for it."