The Miami Heat are willing to give it another go with their 2008 second overall selection in the NBA Draft, Michael Beasley. The team has signed Beasley to a tryout contract, inviting him to come to training camp with the team. With just 13 players under contract there is room for Beasley to make the team if he impresses at camp.
“Michael had the best years of his career with us. We feel that he can help us,” Heat president Pat Riley said in a released statement.
Beasley was recently released by the Phoenix Suns after an arrest for marijuana possession.
The 24-year-old averaged 10.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game last season, his fifth in the NBA.
He had his best season in 2010-11, playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves, when he put up 19.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. However he did so on 17.1 attempts per game that season. It is highly unlikely he’ll ever get such a high volume of shots on the Heat given the other options they have at the offensive end.
Beasley’s best asset though has been his ability to hit corner threes, shooting nearly 40% in his NBA career from the spots. Given Miami’s other scorers he could get plenty of open looks at the basket if he can make the team, and keep it together off the court. He’ll also need to improve what has largely been an invisible defensive game to this point in his career.
If he can’t do that, this might be the last shot for a player who would then go down amongst the biggest NBA Draft Busts ever.
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