Sports Radio Interviews

The Odd Man Out in Miami

When LeBron James decided to bolt Cleveland and head down to South Beach, the odd man out in Miami was Michael Beasley.  In order to re-sign Dwyane Wade and bring in Chris Bosh and LeBron James, the Heat needed to trade Beasley in order to clear more room to sign a supporting cast.  So they traded him to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for two future second round draft picks, 2011 and 2014.  Beasley, who was the 2^nd overall selection in 2008, was edged out by Derrick Rose for the top spot in that draft after a brilliant freshman season at Kansas State, but he never seemed to be completely comfortable playing in the shadow of Wade.  Although his stats were okay during his two years in Miami, Beasley was a disappointment on and off the court.

He was first kicked out of the NBA Rookie Symposium and fined for smoking marijuana in his hotel room with fellow teammate Mario Chalmers, and then last summer he received substance-abuse treatment in Houston.  That is not the kind of reputation a basketball player wants to get in just his first two seasons, but fortunately for him Timberwolves GM David Kahn saw his potential and thinks that he would be a great fit in Minnesota.  It should be interesting to keep an eye out on Beasley to see if emerging from Wade’s shadow really is going to help his game and contribute to the success of the T-Wolves.  He has the opportunity to start all over with a young team in a new city and could become a dominant force alongside Kevin Love.

Michael Beasley joined KFAN in Minneapolis to talk about what David Kahn and Kurt Rambis told him about what his role will be with the team, whether it is fair to state that he is capable of a lot more production than what he did in Miami, and whether he is really exciting about the opportunity to run the show in Minnesota.

Whether he realizes the potential to become a big-time player with Minnesota:

“I guess, I just want to win.  I am not really worried about me being a star or an all-star.  I just want to win.  So whatever I have got to do for us to be in the playoffs next year that is what I want to do.”

What David Kahn and Kurt Rambis told him about what his role will be with the team:

“Honestly, we haven’t talked about it much.  Obviously I am going to be a big part of this team, a big piece to the puzzle and a big piece of the success if we win.”

Whether it bugs him that Miami gave him away for a couple of draft picks:

“Of course, but it is a business.  I understand the move and I understand the business behind it and I just got to move on.  Of course I am going to hold the grudge on the court but it is a part of the game.”

Whether it is fair to state that he is capable of a lot more production than what he did in Miami:

“Definitely, like you said, I was playing behind Dwyane Wade, obviously the best player in the world right now and an All-Star in Jermaine O’Neal.  I was kind of third, fourth option just kind of getting in where I fit in just fitting with the team and playing with them.  Now, I got a chance to play my game and I have got a chance to run the show a little bit.”

Whether he is really exciting about the opportunity to run the show in Minnesota:

“Oh yeah definitely I get a chance to show the world kind of what I am about and my winning mentality.  That is all I want to do.  I understand that we only won fifteen games last year.  We are just going to learn and take this young team try to grow and try to be successful and play basketball.”

How his game has developed since first coming into the NBA until now:

“I think it developed in every aspect.  I think I am the same player I was in college just a little tuned up.  I handle the ball better, I make way better decisions and I have matured on and off the court and it helped me on the court most.”

Michael Beasley on KFAN in Minneapolis with Charch and PA (the interview starts at the 29:39 mark)

Tags: 2nd overall draft pick, Chris Bosh, David Kahn, Kansas State, Kurt Rambis, LeBron James, Miami Heat, Michael Beasley, Minnesota T-Wolves, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA trade, odd man out in Miami, Pat Riley traded Beasley for a couple of draft picks, traded to Timberwolves