Malik Beasley arrested

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

I wouldn't mind moving on from him at this point, but we're going to need a shooter at one of those two wing positions. We can't trot out Culver and Okogie at the 2 & 3. Nowell is a guy I kinda like, but he just didn't get much traction last season in the big league, despite showing a really nice game in the G-League. We should keep an eye on him in the event we don't re-sign Beasley and don't draft Edwards.

[BizarroJerry [enjin:6592520]]

I wouldn't mind moving on from him at this point, but we're going to need a shooter at one of those two wing positions. We can't trot out Culver and Okogie at the 2 & 3. Nowell is a guy I kinda like, but he just didn't get much traction last season in the big league, despite showing a really nice game in the G-League. We should keep an eye on him in the event we don't re-sign Beasley and don't draft Edwards.

I know you don't like Culver offensively but wasn't he hitting 3s at a decent clip towards the end of the season?

[Lipoli390]

I wouldn't mind moving on from him at this point, but we're going to need a shooter at one of those two wing positions. We can't trot out Culver and Okogie at the 2 & 3. Nowell is a guy I kinda like, but he just didn't get much traction last season in the big league, despite showing a really nice game in the G-League. We should keep an eye on him in the event we don't re-sign Beasley and don't draft Edwards.

I agree, Q. If we don't re-sign Beasley or draft Edwards, Nowell becomes a key. I'm still unhappy with the Wolves organization's failure to give Nowell a meaningful run with the NBA team. I don't understand the failure to give Omari Spellman a shot either. With all our injuries, the opportunity was there and, in my view, was wasted. Just another reason I'm having a hard time gaining confidence in this organization.

[Lipoli390]

I just read the article. I honestly don't see the Wolves re-signing him. As you all know, I've been a big Beasley booster. After the initial report, I was thinking the Wolves should still re-sign him and would be able to get him at a bargain price. But after reading this latest information, I don't think the Wolves should re-sign him at any price. He's a mess, and I'm being kind. It's obvious from his behavior that you can't count on him. The Wolves aren't in a position to rely on him as a key player with all the uncertainty surrounding him. He's a risk a team like the Wolves can't afford. I don't think this means the Wolves should draft Edwards. But it means the Wolves should develop a plan, if they don't already have one, for the SG position going forward without Beasley on the roster. I'm really disappointed to say that because I think Beasley is a terrific talent with what I consider a lot of upside. Unfortunately, his issues call into question whether he'll even stay in the League, much less reach what I consider his great potential.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Nowell was probably our most consistent G-league player, averaging 21 PPG, 5 boards, 4 assists, and shot nearly 44% from 3. It was incredibly frustrating not to see him get some regular minutes on the big team later in the season. And of course when he did he couldn't hit the broadside of a barn (figures!). But I can't believe that his shot doesn't eventually translate given his body of work in two years of college and his G-league numbers. I also think he's a pretty good all around player - finds the open guy and not a bad defender.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

I wouldn't mind moving on from him at this point, but we're going to need a shooter at one of those two wing positions. We can't trot out Culver and Okogie at the 2 & 3. Nowell is a guy I kinda like, but he just didn't get much traction last season in the big league, despite showing a really nice game in the G-League. We should keep an eye on him in the event we don't re-sign Beasley and don't draft Edwards.

I know you don't like Culver offensively but wasn't he hitting 3s at a decent clip towards the end of the season?

Yes, but hard to trust that shot over a sustained timeframe given his shot mechanics. Hopefully he smoothed things out over the summer, but I'm not holding my breath given the fact we're the franchise where shooters come to die.

[Lipoli390]

Nowell was probably our most consistent G-league player, averaging 21 PPG, 5 boards, 4 assists, and shot nearly 44% from 3. It was incredibly frustrating not to see him get some regular minutes on the big team later in the season. And of course when he did he couldn't hit the broadside of a barn (figures!). But I can't believe that his shot doesn't eventually translate given his body of work in two years of college and his G-league numbers. I also think he's a pretty good all around player - finds the open guy and not a bad defender.

I agree with you on Nowell. He was a terrific 3-point shooter in both of his collegiate years and continued to shoot well from behind the arc in the G-League. He's a guy who will always be a good shooter at every level. And you're right that's he a good all-around player.

But I wouldn't write-off Culver either. I'm skeptical of his shot, but he did finish strong last season and he seems like a guy who will work his tail off to get better. He had a nice FG percentage in college and shot well from behind the arc as a college freshman.

The Beasley situation furthers my interest in exploring pick swaps with Detroit or Atlanta in exchange for Kennard or Huerter. But again, I wouldn't let the Beasley situation dictate our draft strategy.

[Lipoli390]

If I were the Wolves owner, I'd investigate what the Nuggets knew about Beasley's character and proclivities when they dealt him to the Wolves. I doubt Beasley's reported behavior is new and I suspect that this kind of stuff was known inside the Nuggets organization. I remember talking to Flip and hearing all these inside stories about what players were doing that he knew about when he was coaching in Detroit and especially in Washington. I'd also take a hard look at what, if any, due diligence Rosas did when he made the Beasley deal as well as what, if anything, this Nuggets might have hid.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

I wonder if the Sacramento Kings would have any interest in a sign-and-trade including both Buddy Hield and Malik Beasley. For instance, maybe No. 17 and Beasley (3/30) for Hield would be worth exploring? The financials work out without needing to add any other players/contracts.

The Kings move on from a guy that by all reports doesn't want to be there anymore -- for good reason. They can get Beasley to fill Hield's role off the bench at a fraction of the cost. They also add a first-round pick in the process.

Meanwhile, the Wolves add a superior player in Hield that's already locked into a relatively fair contract that decreases in annual salary over the next four years. He provides Minnesota with real stability at one wing position and truly elite three-point shooting. In this deal they also retain Jarrett Culver and James Johnson. Both of which are solid to good defenders in the present while they could also be moved in a trade in the future. In the past I had suggested trades for Hield that included Culver, but keeping him on this team definitely has appeal as he's one of our two best wing defenders.

That would make the return of the Robert Covington trade look like: Hield, Juan Hernangomez, Jarrett Vanderbilt, and Evan Turner for Covington, Shabazz Napier, Keita Bates-Diop, Noah Vonleh, and Jordan Bell. I could definitely live with that.

[Lipoli390]

I wonder if the Sacramento Kings would have any interest in a sign-and-trade including both Buddy Hield and Malik Beasley. For instance, maybe No. 17 and Beasley (3/30) for Hield would be worth exploring? The financials work out without needing to add any other players/contracts.

The Kings move on from a guy that by all reports doesn't want to be there anymore -- for good reason. They can get Beasley to fill Hield's role off the bench at a fraction of the cost. They also add a first-round pick in the process.

Meanwhile, the Wolves add a superior player in Hield that's already locked into a relatively fair contract that decreases in annual salary over the next four years. He provides Minnesota with real stability at one wing position and truly elite three-point shooting. In this deal they also retain Jarrett Culver and James Johnson. Both of which are solid to good defenders in the present while they could also be moved in a trade in the future. In the past I had suggested trades for Hield that included Culver, but keeping him on this team definitely has appeal as he's one of our two best wing defenders.

That would make the return of the Robert Covington trade look like: Hield, Juan Hernangomez, Jarrett Vanderbilt, and Evan Turner for Covington, Shabazz Napier, Keita Bates-Diop, Noah Vonleh, and Jordan Bell. I could definitely live with that.

Cam - This would be a great trade for the Wolves. But I think Beasley is so toxic at this point that I can't see the Kings doing this deal. If Rosas pulled this off, he'd melt away a lot of my skepticism about him as our PBO.